


Year 2 - The Start of the Journey

by Casazael



Series: The Dwarf Who Lived [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:34:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 93,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24376603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casazael/pseuds/Casazael
Summary: With the first year done, Kíli could not wait to return to Hogwarts. Even with more magic under his belt, Kíli still struggled to prove his worth and overcome prejudices against his parentage and upbringing. His second year in the castle might turn out to be just as exciting as the first one.
Series: The Dwarf Who Lived [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680766
Comments: 44
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

This July had been the hottest one that anyone had experienced in a very long time. The sun was burning hot, making the leaves wither and the birds quiet. As a result, people seemed less inclined to go outside, preferring the air-conditioned cool indoors. Normally, this would hardly be a problem for Kíli. He did grow up in an orphanage full of children where boredom was rarely an option. This time, however, it was a bit difficult to bear. The reason was quite simple yet unexpected: Kíli was a wizard.

It had been nearly three weeks since Kíli left the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he spent his first year learning to become a wizard, and he had missed the place incredibly. Situated in the Highland of Scotland, the Hogwarts castles were grand and majestic with awe-inspiring magic around it, protecting it from the Muggle eyes. The vastness of the castle and its intricate, almost labyrinthine interior meant that there was so much to explore that one could barely uncover all its secrets in seven years. The best part about Hogwarts, the one that Kíli missed above all others, was its occupants. A school filled with extraordinary wizards as the professors and hundreds of young witches and wizards as the students, Hogwarts rarely had a dull moment. Something as mundane as going to class could turn into an adventure where the staircases started moving halfway through, taking you to an unknown corridor haunted by ghosts or worse, Peeves the Poltergeist. Trap stairs were everywhere, hiding away from view, waiting patiently for their victims, while students often ignored the rules and used magic in the corridors, adding to the chaos. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Kíli loved Hogwarts dearly.

His life at the orphanage was unbelievably quiet and uneventful by comparison. Kíli loved his friends at the orphanage and was more than thrilled to catch up with them after a long separation. But being cooped up inside the orphanage was not the most exciting experience. Because he was surrounded by Muggles, Kíli rarely had the chance to be alone in order to perform magic. This was more than just an inconvenience for Kíli, who longed to hold his wand and feel the magic running through his veins to the point of his fingers, but also a real problem because Kíli wanted to do his homework and maybe even start preparing for the next term. Unfortunately for him, all he could do was read the textbooks without casting any spells, which was much more boring. It was so bad that even letters from his friends from Hogwarts could hardly keep Kíli happy and sane.

On a Friday morning, Kíli walked languidly into the dining room and sat next to Dean, one of his close friends in the orphanage. The food in front of him was nothing compared to the feasts in Hogwarts but Kíli could not complain. He knew and understood the financial situation of the orphanage enough to be grateful for any food they had. He just wished he could do something interesting that day. One glance at the blaring sun outside, however, told him that a quick football match was out of the question, at least during the day. Even Dean, who was usually chirpy and energetic, seemed sluggish.

“Kíli, is that an owl I’m seeing?” Seamus’s question jerked Kíli out of his listless stupor. Looking up eagerly, he was thrilled to see that it was indeed an owl approaching the window with an envelope clutched in its claws. Rising from his seat eagerly, Kíli opened the window to welcome the handsome owl into the orphanage. The majestic bird landed gracefully on the window sill before extending his leg to Kíli to take the letter. 

“Thanks,” said Kíli as he fed the owl a small piece of toast. The owl did not seem to mind this rather meagre treat, however, as it pecked Kíli’s hand affectionately before taking off.

“What is it?” Dean sounded almost as excited as Kíli. Staying inside all the time certainly was not doing anyone any good.

“It’s the letter from Hogwarts,” said Kíli, anticipation barely contained in his voice. Finally, he got the list of books and supplies he needed for the next school year.

The booklist itself was not that interesting in fact. Most of the books he needed were just the level 2 version of his existing books. There were some curious Potion ingredients listed, however, and Kíli briefly wondered what kind of potions they would be making this year. The thing that drew his attention the most was a small fine print in the letter, indicating that should they wish to, second-year students were allowed to bring their own broomsticks and try out for their house Quidditch team.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team! Kíli had talked to Fíli so much about their desperate need for a Seeker that he almost got himself convinced that he should try out for the team. This letter, however, had served as a reality check more than anything else. How could Kíli, a poor orphan with barely enough gold to cover his basic expenses during the seven years at Hogwarts, buy a luxury item such as a broomstick in order to try out for the team? He supposed that he could use one of the school broomsticks but his Flying lessons taught him that they were very old and extremely temperamental. Kíli had no confidence he would make the team with a first-rate broom in the first place, let alone an old used school broom. 

“Everything alright, Kíli?” Dean asked tentatively and Kíli put on a smile he did not feel. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I’m just going to write to Fíli to see when we can go shopping for next year’s supplies.”

By the time Kíli had reached his room, he had already made up his mind. He would not embarrass himself in front of everyone with an old broom that very possibly would refuse to obey him. He was not going to the Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts because he did not have a decent broom and that was the end of the story.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fíli’s reply came back the same day and they agreed to go to Diagon Alley the next Tuesday. Despite his disappointment at the whole Quidditch situation, Kíli could hardly wait for Tuesday. Truth be told, Kíli was used to being denied luxuries in life - being an orphan tends to have that effect on you - and learnt from an early age to prioritise survival necessities over anything else and be content with what he had. At the moment, all Kíli wanted to do was to see his best friend and get all the books so he could start reading them as soon as possible. A long separation from the magic world could really turn anyone into an Ori.

When Tuesday finally arrived, Kíli woke up early in the morning and went straight to the kitchen to help. By the time he had finished breakfast, the rest of the orphanage had finally woken up.

“Please, Kíli,” said Madam McGonagall firmly, “you can’t possibly go now. Wait until a more reasonable time before we take you there.”

“But the Metro is running,” protested Kíli, “I can go by myself. I know how to use the tube and everything.”

“Don’t wanna disturb your friends so early now, do ya?” said Seamus, his mouth stuffed with toasts. “It’s only 6:30 in the morning.”

“Fíli said any time in the morning was fine.”

“Yeah, but there is early in the morning. And there is _early_ in the morning,” said Dean, stifling a yawn.

That Kíli could not argue with. He imagined crashing into Erebor at 7 in the morning, interrupting everyone’s breakfast. The imaginary look on Thorin’s face made him shudder. “Fine, I’ll wait till 8 before I leave then.”

“Excellent,” said Madam McGonagall. “Now, I have some errands to do this morning but I’m sure Mrs Evans can…”

“Really, Madam McGonagall,” Kíli reassured her, “I can go by myself. I hate to bother you with this.”

“But what if you get lost?” Madam McGonagall said with a frown. “I promised Mister Grey to look after you while you are in the Muggle world.”

“I’ve been to Diagon Alley before,” Kíli puffed up his chest proudly. “Professor Dwalin took me there last year so I know where to go. I’ll take Keeper with me,” he added at the concerned look on Madam McGonagall’s face. “If I do get lost, which I won’t, I promise, I’ll send a message to you.”

True to Kíli’s words, his trip to Diagon Alley went smoothly without a hiccup. He was not surprised to find Nori in the Leaky Cauldron, lounging leisurely behind the bar with a pipe in hand.

“Kíli,” Nori beamed at him, “here to buy your school supplies?”

“Yes!” Kíli was so pleased to see a fellow Wizard after weeks of separation from the magical world that he was ready to jump over the bar and hug Nori. “Has Ori got all his stuff already?”

“He’s reading next year’s Herbology textbook as we speak,” laughed Nori. “Dori took him shopping the moment the letter arrived. Are you going by yourself or is Fíli going with you?”

“I’m on my way to meet Fíli now,” Kíli said proudly. It filled him with strange jubilation that people always associated Fíli with him. “How have you been? How’s Professor Dori?”

Nori waved his hand airily. “Well, you know us. Dori fusses over everything, which is why I’m here to escape him. But we’re well. It’s good to see you, lad. Ori misses you. Out of all his friends, you’re the only one he didn’t get to see during the summer.”

This piece of information made Kíli wonder if his friends had been spending time together during the summer without him. His mind eye conjured up a vivid picture of Fíli, Gimli, and Ori playing Quidditch together, laughing and tumbling. This filled him with longing and a slight tinge of jealousy. None of them mentioned anything like that in their letters to him, of course. Yet Kíli wondered if maybe they just wanted to spare his feelings. After all, he was the only one left behind.

Erebor was as grand as Kíli could remember. Stepping into it was still a bit daunting, as Kíli did not come via the front door the last time he visited Fíli. Hesitating slightly, he finally plucked up the courage to approach one of the Dwarves at the counter.

“Excuse me,” said Kíli in his most confident voice, “I’d like to see Fíli Arken. I’m a friend of his from Hogwarts.”

The Dwarf, an elderly one with a long white beard and a pair of thick glasses, looked up from his desk to inspect Kíli. Whatever he saw, from Kíli’s lanky frame to his old too-short jeans, he did not seem to like. “A friend of young Mister Arken you said?” 

“Yes,” Kíli nodded, his hands on his waist, trying his best to make himself look bigger. “My name is Kíli Durin.”

“A Durin?” The old Dwarf seemed even less impressed. “I never know a Durin who looks like you.” He looked Kíli up and down. “The Durins were of the most ancient and purest Dwarf blood. They were strong with impressive beards to match while you…” his voice trailed away but the look on his face told Kíli enough.

“I am a Durin!” Kíli said angrily, his face flushed with indignation. “I am the son of Frerin Durin and I need to see Fíli now.”

The old Dwarf stood up straighter. He looked cold and angry. “Young Mister Arken is busy. He is not to see any random child unless you can prove you are indeed…”

“Kíli!” Dwalin’s booming voice was music to Kíli’s ear. Turning on the spot, he beamed at his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor who strode across the hall in quick strides. 

“Look at yeh,” Dwalin laughed after he released Kíli from the bone-crushing hug. “Yeh’ve grown so much! At this rate, yeh’ll be a proper wizard in no time. Now, are yeh here to see Fíli?”

“Yes,” Kíli nodded eagerly, “I’m trying to find Fíli. He told me to just tell whoever’s at the desk I’m here for him and they’d take me there. But…” he shot a quick look at the old Dwarf and was pleased to see that he looked much paler now, “that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“What?” Dwalin snapped, as he turned to the old Dwarf. “Why don’t yeh take Kíli to see Fíli? Hasn’t Fíli told everyone working this morning that he’s expecting Kíli?”

“My apologies.” The old Dwarf bowed so low that his long beard was sweeping the floor and his nose was dangerously close to the hard surface of the desk. Kíli could not find it in himself to feel sorry for the Dwarf, however. “I’m under the impression that Mister Arken’s friend is a fellow Dwarf.”

“Kíli is a Dwarf!” Dwalin barked, which caused several Dwarves nearby to scatter away quickly. “He’s the son of Melian and Frerin! His father was a great Dwarf from the best family and his mother is the brightest and most powerful witch I have ever seen! He’s a true son of his parents! If I hear yeh say another word about Kíli and his parentage, I swear…”

“It’s okay, professor,” whispered Kíli when the old Dwarf was shaking like a leaf under Dwalin’s wraths. No matter how much he disliked the old Dwarf, Kíli had no wish to see him severely punished for his slight against himself. “I’m fine, really. Could you please take me to Fíli though? We have a lot of shopping to do today.”

Dwalin gave the old Dwarf one last warning look before turning to Kíli. “Alright, laddie. But if any other dunderhead’s been mean to you, yeh come straight to me and I’ll sort them out.”

“Kíli!” The moment Fíli opened the door, he threw himself at Kíli, who almost got knocked over. Behind him, Dwalin let out a hearty chortle.

“Eager, aren’t we?” teased Dwalin. “Don’t let Thorin see you like that. He won’t be pleased by yer manner, or the lack thereof.”

Fíli rolled his eyes dramatically. “Uncle is just jealous that I’ve got such a good friend. Come on, Kíli. Are you hungry? Have you had breakfast? You look thinner than before! Are they not feeding you properly at the orphanage?”

“I’m fine, Fíli,” laughed Kíli. “I’ve grown quite a lot, which is probably why I look thinner.”

Fíli looked at him critically, still not convinced. “That might be the case. But still, you could do with more food. Come on, we’re still eating breakfast so why don’t you join us?”

“Is Professor Thorin there?” Despite all their teasing, Kíli was legitimately afraid of Thorin. He doubted that he would be able to stomach anything down under the scrutiny of the stern Dwarf.

“No,” Fíli laughed, “uncle has already left. In fact, he won’t be back for a couple of days. He’s travelling to meet other Dwarf clans to negotiate business deals with then. Why don’t you stay for a couple of days? You’ve got Keeper with you so you can inform the orphanage. We’ve still got your room and your clothes so you don’t even need to go back to get anything.”

That sounded very tempting. Speaking of Keeper, Kíli realised that he ought to inform the orphanage that he had arrived safely anyway. Nodding enthusiastically, he let Fíli drag him into the dining room.

“Have fun, lads,” Dwalin waved at them. “I’ll stop by for dinner tonight! Tell your mum to please bake her favourite key lime pie.”

The breakfast at Fíli’s house was always a lavish affair, as Kíli had come to know since his last stay here. Nevertheless, it had managed to surpass itself this morning with eggs cooked in at least 3 different ways, porridges with all sorts of toppings, french toasts done to perfection, juicy fresh fruit, some so exotic that Kíli had never seen them before, and all sorts of pastries. Even though Kíli had already had his breakfast, he could not help but tuck in.

“Kíli!” Dís’s cheerful voice caught Kíli slightly off-guard. He had just had a mouthful of a chocolate croissant and had to swallow hard to clear his mouth.

“It’s so good to see you, my dear boy!” Dís wrapped her arm around Kíli, engulfing him into her warm chest. The sweet smell of flour and lemon was so typically Dís and so wonderfully domestic that Kíli felt his eyes mist over. He wondered if this was what a hug from his own mother would feel like.

Once Kíli sat back down, Dís started piling food onto his plate. “Do eat up, Kíli. You look a bit peckish. No need to hurry, we’ve got plenty of time. Now have you got your money or do you need to get some money from your vault in Erebor?”

Kíli hesitated. Of course, he needed to retrieve his money to buy his school supplies. Yet he had no wish to let Fíli see his vault, which was meagre compared to Fíli’s family fortune. It was one thing for Fíli to know vaguely that Kíli was not well off, quite another to see the direct evidence of that. He now wished that he had gone to his vault first before coming here.

“Kíli,” asked Fíli gently, his eyes full of understanding. 

Kíli nodded begrudgingly. “Yeah, I need to visit my vault first.”

“Don’t worry,” Dís waved her hand casually, “we’ll take care of it. Why don’t you eat your food while I go and get someone to retrieve some money from your vault? How much will you need?”

Kíli’s face was now beet red. “Er, maybe one-sixth of what I’ve got left in the vault,” mumbled Kíli, his eyes fixed on his tart and definitely not looking at Fíli. “I can always buy my things second hand.”

When nobody spoke, Kíli felt his heart sink. Would Fíli and Dís think less of him because of his lack of fortune and standing? They were, after all, practically royalty and surely their people would disapprove when the heir of Thorin fraternised with a poor half Dwarf. That old Dwarf’s reaction was proof enough. When he finally dared to look up, he could see Fíli and Dís silently communicating with each other. When Dís caught Kíli’s eyes, however, she gave him a reassuring smile. “Of course, darling. No need to worry. I’ll go and talk to the Dwarf in charge. We’ll have your money here in no time.”

Once Dís was out of the room, Fíli turned to Kíli with such warmth in his eyes that Kíli felt his doubt melting away. His embarrassment, however, was more long-lasting.

“Nobody here cares about where you’re from or how much money your family had,” said Fíli softly, as he grabbed Kíli’s hand and squeezed it. “It’s not something you can choose. We’re not snobs like Legolas who looks down upon people for something as vain and stupid as this. You’re a great wizard, Kíli, and a kind and nice person. That’s what really matters.”

Kíli looked up and could only see the sincerity in Fíli’s beautiful blue eyes. He so wanted to believe his best friend but he knew more than anyone else that they did not live in a perfect world. Growing up in an orphanage tends to teach one a few lessons about the cruel reality of life at a young age. It is just the way of life. Naivety has no place in an orphanage where everyone is fighting to survive. “I don’t doubt you or your mother,” said Kíli in a small voice, “or Professor Dwalin for that matter. You’re the kindest people I’ve ever met and I trust you. But what if your people disapprove?”

“What do you mean?” Fíli asked sharply, his voice higher now. Biting his lips, Kíli reluctantly told Fíli what had happened at the reception hall earlier that morning.

“I… Mahal above! I can’t believe it!” Fíli’s face turned so red and he was squeezing Kíli’s hand so hard that it started to hurt. “I specifically told them to inform me the moment you arrive. I made it very clear that you’re an important guest who shall be treated with the utmost respect and civility and yet they dared… Who’s the Dwarf that slighted you? What exactly does he look like? I promise you, Kíli, I’m going to find…”

“No, Fíli,” cried Kíli in distress. He had no wish to jeopardise Fíli’s position, nor did he think punishing the old Dwarf would make them respect him more. He was now regretting his moment of weakness. Why couldn’t he be stronger and put such stupid insecurities behind him? “It’s alright. He didn’t know. Professor Dwalin came too and he sorted it out. Please don’t punish your people for my sake.”

“But Kíli,” Fíli still looked angry, “I cannot let such behaviour slide. True, they are my people. But you’re much more than that. You’re my best friend. How can I let this happen without doing anything to set it straight?”

“Then let me prove myself,” said Kíli firmly. “They will not respect me simply because you tell them to. They may heed your word and pretend to be polite but deep down, they are not convinced. I have to prove to them that I am truly my father’s son, that I am a worthy wizard and Dwarf. It’s a battle I have to fight myself, Fíli. Today it may be this Dwarf; tomorrow it may be an arrogant Elf. I need to learn to deal with it.”

Fíli looked like he very much liked to argue until he finally sighed. “I’m sorry, Kíli. But you’re right. No matter how much I hate this, I can’t change the way people think, not now anyway.” He gave Kíli a sad smile. “How I wish I can change the world into a better place for you so you don’t have to fight your own battle.”

“Then let’s fight together!” Kíli grabbed Fíli’s hand firmly. “Let’s change this world together! Why can’t we? Why shouldn’t we? We’ll prove to this world that they’re wrong! It may take time but we can do it! I know we can!”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

True to her words, Dís came back with a small bag of money before Kíli and Fíli even finished their breakfast. Thanking Dís gratefully, Kíli tucked the bag into his pocket and they set out for their shopping trip.

Their first stop was Flourish and Blotts, which was Kíli’s first time there. He was used to second-hand bookstores, both the magical and Muggle ones, with dusty bookshelves and the smell of old leather and parchments. As a result, he was slightly shocked to see the brand new books in Flourish and Blotts in those sparkly clean bookshelves. Somehow it felt wrong.

The bookstore was packed with Hogwarts students, the younger ones led by their parents while the older ones were chatting happily with their friends. Kíli spotted Bain with his dad Professor Bard, who was surrounded by simpering girls. Professor Bard, with his ruggedly handsome face and brilliant flying skills, had always been a bit of a heartthrob amongst older Hogwarts girls. The fact that he was a widower certainly did nothing to stop his fangirls. Bain, on the other hand, seemed thoroughly annoyed by his dad’s fan club and only lightened up when he saw Fíli and Kíli.

“Fíli! Kíli! How are you? How’s your summer so far?” asked Bain enthusiastically, patting both Kíli and Fíli fondly on the back. 

“Quite well, thank you,” smiled Fíli politely. “It’s nice to be back home again with family.”

“Mine has been pretty quiet.” Kíli was more eager to talk to Bain. After three weeks of separation from the magical world, he found that he missed anything related to it. “I’ve been in the orphanage the whole time and can’t do any magic!”

Bain looked sympathetic. “That can’t be easy! I can’t imagine my life without magic. Sigrid and Tilda can be quite a handful sometimes. Magic just makes things so much easier. But still, at least you’re not bombarded by stupid love letters addressed to your father every day. I accidentally read one and wish I could gouge my eyes out.”

Both Kíli and Fíli laughed. Neither of them had such issues, Kíli for obvious reasons and Fíli because of Dwarves’ One. Everyone knew Vilir was Dís’s One so no Dwarf would be foolish enough to proposition her even though she was single. Thorin’s wraths probably acted as an excellent deterrent as well, thought Kíli wryly.

Unfortunately, the happy moment was rudely interrupted.

“Look who’s here?” Bolg’s mocking voice made all of them jump. Kíli whipped around so quickly that he almost sprained his neck. “Kíli Durin, in Flourish and Blotts. Are you sure you didn’t wander into the wrong bookstore? Surely you can’t afford anything in here.”

Before Kíli could reply, Fíli had already pounced on Bolg. “How dare you?” hissed Fíli, his voice filled with such anger that it shook slightly. “After what you’ve done to Kíli, how dare you stand here and taunt him? Have you no shame, you worthless, disgusting…”

“I would refrain from calling my son such names if I were you, Mr Arken.” A low menacing voice interrupted Fíli. Kíli looked up and found himself face to face with a tall hulking wizard who looked just as hideous as Bolg. The wizard’s face was sickly pale and covered with scars. His teeth were razor-sharp and Kíli wished with all his heart that they had only been used to chew normal food. To complete the ghastly picture, the wizard was sporting a sharp knife as a prosthetic in place of his missing left arm.

“Azog Gundabad,” said Fíli coldly, his eyes now fixed on Azog. Despite the vast height differences, Fíli had shown no sign of fear, which greatly impressed Kíli. “Please forgive my manners. But then again, I doubt manners are really required when one speaks to a future murderer.”

“Watch your tongue, Dwarfling!” Azog snarled, his already ugly face even more unsightly when contorted with anger. “You know perfectly well that Veritaserum can be fought. How do I know that this dirty little half-blood didn’t lie to frame my son?”

Bain snorted. “Seriously, Azog! An 11-year-old who can fight the effect of the Veritaserum? You must have spent too much time with the Orcs to completely lose it. Or are you admiring Kíli’s superior magical prowess?”

Azog snapped his head towards Bain, who folded his arms in front of his chest and held Azog’s gaze coolly. “What do you know of magic? Your father is nothing more than a passable flyer with a pretty face.”

“Still,” Bain smirked, “my dad has more common sense than both you and your son. But then again, I suppose most people would.”

“I know more about the lies and deceits of half-bloods than your dad’s pretty little head could handle,” hissed Azog.

“Kíli never lies!” Fíli cried passionately. “And he’s thousand times more noble and worthy than your despicable son.”

“What is the matter?” Professor Bard’s calm voice prevented further argument. He narrowed his eyes when he saw Azog but nodded at the wizard all the same. “Mister Gundabad. What a surprise to see you here. I’m under the impression that your son has been suspended from Hogwarts.”

“Professor Bard,” Gundabad smirked, looking particularly pleased for some reason, “the pleasure is all mine. It’s not every day we see you off your broomstick, is it? But yes, my son was suspended from Hogwarts but he will soon be reinstated.”

Professor Bard had to put a firm hand on Kíli’s shoulder to physically restrain him from lashing out, which deepened the smirk on Azog’s face. “Is that so? Has Bolg been assessed already?”

“Not yet,” Azog said smugly. “But he’s about to and I’m confident that he will pass the assessment with no problem whatsoever.”

“I wouldn’t be so confident if I were you.” Professor Bard looked serious. “Professor Gandalf may be forgiving but he’s no fool. I hope for your sake that Bolg is demonstrating true signs of remorse.”

“Of course,” Azog tipped his head, a fake smile plastered on his face. “Now if you’ll excuse me, we’ve done our shopping and must get going.”

The moment Azog and Bolg disappeared from sight, Fíli piped up immediately. “He can’t be serious! Bolg is not even a little bit sorry about what he’s done! Surely Hogwarts won’t allow him to come back!”

Professor Bard sighed. “I wish it were this simple. But remember that the Headmaster is not the only one making the decision. There will be two more Ministry officials involved and we all know how manipulative and powerful Azog is. If he can weasel his way out of incarceration for his atrocities in the last Wizarding War, I won’t be surprised if he manages to bribe his son back into Hogwarts. Not to mention the fact that the only evidence we’ve got against Bolg is Kíli’s testimony.”

“But, but…” stuttered Fíli, a sight so rare from his usual composed self that Kíli felt bad for his friend. He, of course, understood exactly what Professor Bard meant. He was nothing but a half-blooded orphan with no money nor connection while Bolg was the son of a powerful and possibly dark wizard. Of course, people were predisposed to sacrifice him to bend to Azog’s will.

“Why can’t Professor Gandalf make the decision by himself?” asked Bain indignantly. “This is Hogwarts business, isn’t it? Why should the Ministry be involved?”

“Because,” said Professor Bard patiently, “the Ministry cannot let Hogwarts go unchecked. There needs to be a balance of power. Hogwarts is so much more than just a school. It’s the only magical school in the UK where practically all the witches and wizards here are educated and shaped. Ideas are formed, friendships built and connections made during this critical seven years. If the Ministry let Hogwarts run loose at the wrong hand, they run the risk of leading the next generation astray. This incident is a serious one. In fact, had it not been for Bolg’s young age, it would have qualified as a criminal case. Of course, the Ministry can’t let Gandalf make the decision without consulting them.”

Both Kíli and Fíli stared at Professor Bard. Even though they knew their flying professor was no dumb muscle, his intelligence and knowledge still surprised them, so much so that Fíli almost forgot that he was furious over Azog’s scheming. Almost.

“So we’re just going to sit here and let Bolg get away with it?” Fíli said testily. “Can’t anyone do anything?”

“I will, of course, inform Gandalf of this new development,” said Bard solemnly. “Perhaps he can still remedy the situation but I won’t get my hopes up if I were you. If Azog was bold enough to admit his plans to us, he must believe it to be very solid. But still,” sighed Bard, “we should always try and hope for the best, shouldn’t we?”


	2. Chapter 2

Even though the little encounter at Flourish and Blotts could hardly be described as pleasant, Kíli was still overjoyed to have met Bain and to have witnessed a different side of Professor Bard. He, of course, did all his shopping at various second-hand stores. He was still embarrassed to step into the store, especially with Fíli next to him, who looked so out of place with his fancy robes, expensive jewellery, and sparkling shoes. Fíli, however, did not seem to mind at all. If anything, he had a great time exploring those stores where many interesting second-hand objects were put on sale.

“So we’ve got only one thing left,” said Fíli after they had finally finished shopping for their potion ingredients, “the broomstick. We should go to Quality Quidditch Supplies now and hopefully, they haven’t run out of any of the models we want.”

Kíli could feel his face heating up fast. How embarrassing it was to admit to Fíli that he had no money to buy a broomstick. Not sure how to express himself, Kíli muttered something unintelligible in a low voice while looking down to avoid Fíli’s eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Kíli.” Fíli’s hand appeared in Kíli’s line of vision, which made Kíli look up. “I should have realised. That was so tactless of me.” The apologetic look on Fíli’s face was sincere but it did little to ease Kíli’s predicament. No matter how sensitive Fíli might act, it could not change the fact that Kíli was poor and had to miss out on a lot of experiences because of that. The latter part was perhaps his biggest grief. Kíli had always vowed to experience the magical world to its fullest for he had already missed out so much before his eleventh birthday. He had thought that he would be able to achieve that. He was a wizard, wasn’t he? Surely he could make his wish come true with magic. Now Kíli had come to the painful realisation that perhaps the magical world was not that different from the Muggle one. There were still social hierarchies that he could not escape, which might be even more pronounced in the magical world.

“Why don’t we go to Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour?” Fíli’s tone was determinedly light and airy. “I heard they’ve got a new pistachio and lychee flavour. I’ve never tried it but it should be interesting.”

Not wishing to disappoint his friend, Kíli simply nodded and tagged along. In truth, he had no appetite for dessert but he knew it was not Fíli’s fault that he had got no money. It certainly would not be fair to ruin Fíli’s day with his sulking and self-pitying. 

The ice cream shop, however, was simply magical. Kíli had never been inside a magical sweets place before and was thus properly amazed by the floating ice cream cones, all in different lurid colours and none melting. There was only the shopkeeper inside, an elderly wizard with a kind face. The only reason why he could manage a packed place all by himself was magic, where scoops worked on their own to pack the ice creams cones that floated to the patrons. Having forgotten his previous trouble, Kíli moved eagerly through the lines to inspect the different flavours of ice cream.

“I think we should get one each,” said Kíli, as he was properly impressed by all the flavours. “You can get the pistachio lychee one and I’ll get a chocolate mocha.”

“Are you sure…” said Fíli hesitantly but Kíli interrupted him. “Yes, I can afford an ice cream cone, Fíli! Let me get mine and we can swap if you want.”

“Sure.” Fíli smiled and they went to the shopkeeper for their ice cream. The older wizard smiled fondly at them and gave Kíli a particularly large scoop.

“Is your birthday next week?” Fíli asked once they were outside the Ice Cream Parlour, each with an ice cream in their hand. Kíli’s mocha chocolate was so delicious that he was having a hard time letting go of it to speak.

“Yeah, it’s next Wednesday,” said Kíli, his eyes still on the ice cream. Fíli chuckled. “What do you plan to do to celebrate?”

Kíli shrugged. Honestly, he never made a big deal out of his birthday. Nobody could in the orphanage. The most they had got was a small cake that would be shared by all the orphans and some well-wishes from everyone. Present was hardly a thing though very close friends did try to make something small for each other. Kíli still remembered Dean’s excited letter after he sent him a hamster with a cage and supplies, all of which was transformed by Dwalin from everyday objects. Magic could be really useful sometimes.

“We should celebrate it together!” Fíli said firmly. “We never get to celebrate our birthdays and it’s a crime not to.”

“But I’ll be back in the orphanage,” Kíli said reasonably. Even though he did not know for sure, he doubted that Thorin would have left for Hogwarts by then. He certainly had no wish to spend his birthday in Erebor under Thorin’s rather impressive nose. Besides, Kíli felt it was ill-advised to leave his Muggle families behind on such an important date. “We can just celebrate your birthday in September. We’ll all be in Hogwarts by then.”

“Hmm,” Fíli looked thoughtful, “we’ll figure something out.”

Once they had properly demolished their ice cream, they had decided to call it a day and return to Erebor. Thanks to Fíli, all the shoppings were shrunk into small packages that weighed very little. Kíli made a mental note to ask Fíli about the spell and the counter-spell so he could expand them back to their normal size on his own.

Dinner with Dís was lovely as usual. The food was scrumptious and Dís was warm and loving as ever. “It’s so nice to have you here, Kíli. Fíli had truly missed you. He had turned down invitations from Gimli and Ori because he had no wish to go without you. It took both of them plus my brother and Dwalin to drag him out of Erebor.”

“Mum,” cried Fíli, his face red, “don’t exaggerate!”

“I’m not,” laughed Dís. “Honestly, I thought you were turning into a hermit.”

Kíli giggled at Fíli’s indignant splutter. This made him feel strangely satisfied. Of course, Fíli would not want to go out without him. They were best mates, weren’t they? Nobody could ever replace him in Fíli’s heart.

“I’m still better than uncle,” said Fíli. “I barely see him this summer and every time I do, he always looks haggard.”

“Is Professor Thorin unwell?” inquired Kíli, more out of politeness than genuine curiosity.

“No, he’s fine,” Dís said airily, even though Kíli could tell from the look in her eyes that she was slightly concerned. “He’s just been very busy. There has been some rumour going around and Thorin needs to verify its validity.”

“What kind of rumour?” Fíli asked and Kíli felt his curiosity pique. But Dís was reluctant to divulge any more details.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about,” said Dís gently. “It’s just a rumour after all and your uncle is looking into it. I’m sure he’ll soon be able to dispel it so it’s really not worth your time. Now, how about some dessert? I’ve got treacle tart, an orange cake, and a gingerbread house. Pick one or I can bring them all.”

When Kíli’s eyes met Fíli’s, however, they both knew the same thing. Dís was trying to change the subject, which could only mean one thing: this rumour was clearly not as far-fetched as Dís made it out to be.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next couple of days Kíli spent in Erebor proved to be just as enjoyable as his last stay there. He spent all his time with Fíli, eating all the great food Dís cooked and playing all sorts of wizard games. Somehow Kíli never managed to convince his friends in the orphanage, even the adventurous Dean and Seamus, to play Wizard’s Chess with him. He got to spend some time catching up on his spellwork too. Both he and Fíli started reading their new textbooks, which was even more interesting now that they had some basic understanding of magic. They had a great time trying out new spells on each other, though to varying degrees of success. Kíli’s Rictusempra tickled Fíli so much on the second try that it reduced him to tears. When he tried to transform the beetle into a button, however, Kíli waved his wand too enthusiastically that he knocked over the jar of beetles they borrowed from Dwalin for the practice, sending the poor beetles flying everywhere.

“Okay, I think I’m done for the day,” said Fíli as he pulled another beetle out of his hair, “I need a shower.”

Kíli giggled. “It looks good on you.”

“Oh, shut it,” said Fíli without real heat. “You need one too. You have one climbing on your robes.”

After the quick shower, they went down to dinner, which was Kíli’s last dinner because Thorin was returning the next day. It was therefore unsurprising when Dís tried to pile a mountain onto Kíli’s place.

“Do eat up, my dear,” said Dís after she added another cornish pasty into Kíli’s plate. “It really wouldn’t hurt for you to gain some extra pounds.”

“Kíli’s fine,” said Fíli with a wink. “Underneath all the robes, he’s got quite some muscles.”

“Fíli!” Both Dís and Kíli exclaimed at the same time, Dís half amused half exasperated, Kíli completely mortified. “What, where, how…” stuttered Kíli while Fíli chortled with laughter. “Relax, Kíli. I’m not some sort of pervert. I just caught a glimpse of you when you stepped out of the shower the other day, with a towel wrapped on your waist,” he added quickly when Kíli felt so red and hot that he was ready to self-combust at any moment. “You look nice is all I’m trying to say. If others have seen you like this, they wouldn’t think you need to put on weight.”

“Cheers,” murmured Kíli, still embarrassed that Fíli had seen him like that but also pleased that Fíli approved of what he had seen. Dís, on the other hand, looked even more amused now.

“So you like lean muscles, son?” Dís teased, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “Quite an unusual taste for a Dwarf, wouldn’t you say?”

It was now Fíli’s turn to go red. He muttered something unintelligible under his breath but thankfully Dís pressed no further. But Kíli got the strange feeling that Dís had intuited more than she let on. Perhaps he was imagining it, but Kíli could swear that the look Dís gave him when she kissed him goodbye the next morning was full of meaning.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Kíli woke up the next Wednesday, he was expecting nothing special for his birthday. After all, twelve was not such a special occasion like ten or eighteen. The delicious smell of cake from the kitchen, however, bolstered his spirit. At least there would be good food and a little party later that day to celebrate his birthday.

To make that day even better, the weather had decided to cooperate. It was the first day in many weeks where the sun was hidden beneath the cloud and the wind was blowing, dissipating the heat to give them a pleasant summer day. Not wishing to waste a moment of that, Kíli grabbed the football and went to the nearby park to play with Dean, Seamus, and the others. By the time they got back, it was already dinner time and all of them were covered in sweat, dirt, and some grass.

“Good gracious,” cried Madam McGonagall when she saw the state the boys were in, “what have you been doing, boys?”

“Just playing football, Madam McGonagall.” Kíli beamed at her but Madam McGonagall shook her head disapprovingly. “You’re a mess, a smelly one at that, I might add. Go and take a shower, all of you. Put on your best clothes once you’re done. You can’t go to dinner like this, not today.”

Kíli was perplexed. It was true that Madam McGonagall was all about decorum and manners. Yet usually she gave them free rein unless there were important guests present. Why would she be so particular about Kíli’s little birthday party?

“Kíli!”

Kíli thought he was hallucinating because there was no way his best friend was calling his name in the orphanage. This separation from the magical world really wasn’t doing him any good if he was imagining his friends visiting him in the Muggle world.

“Look at yeh, lad, all sweaty and dirty like a real Dwarf,” Dwalin’s booming voice was unmistakable and Kíli felt his jaw drop when he saw his best friend and his favourite professor standing at the door of the dining room, beaming at him.

“Fíli, Professor Dwalin!” Kíli cried, unable to believe his eyes. The mere sight of them filled him with so full of joy that he was ready to burst. “What are you doing here?”

“Celebrating your birthday, of course!” Fíli laughed and wrapped Kíli tightly into his arms, not caring one bit about Kíli’s smell or the fact that the dirt on Kíli’s sweat-soaked vest was soiling his fine robes.

“Fíli told me yeh don’t want to leave your friends at the orphanage. So we must come to yeh.” Dwalin patted Kíli on the back in a gruff yet fatherly way. “Yeh don’t think we’re going to miss yer birthday, do ya?”

“I…” Kíli stuttered because he had no idea what to say. There was also a big lump in his throat. Fíli seemed to understand his predicament, as he came to Kíli's rescue. “Why don’t you go and take a shower like Madam McGonagall has suggested so we can start dinner?”

It took Kíli much longer to get ready, as he wanted to look his best in front of Fíli. The only problem was that Kíli owned very few fancy clothes. He had outgrown his old Muggle clothes and had been wearing the second-hand clothes from the other orphans because he did not see the point of spending money on things he only needed for a couple of months of the year. His wizarding clothes were better but Kíli would feel extremely out-of-place dressed in wizarding robes in the orphanage. What was he going to do?

“Everything alright there, lad?” Dwalin’s voice jerked Kíli out of his thoughts. He opened the door just enough so his head could stick out. Satisfied that Dwalin was the only one outside, Kíli quickly opened the door wide and ushered Dwalin in.

“Okay, so what was that all about?” Dwalin chortled at Kíli’s stealthy behaviour. The sight of Kíli’s bare chest only broadened the smile on his face. Kíli rolled his eyes. Had it been anyone else, he would have felt mortified. But he had come to regard Dwalin as a loving uncle that he could trust, turn to for help, and confide in. So he simply said, “I have a problem and I really need your help, Professor Dwalin.”

After explaining his predicament to Dwalin, who, to Kíli’s surprise, listened patiently without teasing or laughing at him at all, Kíli watched in amazement as Dwalin waved his wand to remove all the patches on his old shirt, making it look almost new.

“Put it on so I can adjust the fit on yeh,” said Dwalin and Kíli obeyed immediately. After a couple of tries (the first attempt made the shirt so tight that Kíli could see his every muscle and could barely breathe or move), Kíli was satisfied with the result.

“Thank you so much, Professor!” Kíli practically ran to the mirror as he turned around to inspect himself from every angle. “This is perfect.”

“Any time, lad,” smiled Dwalin with a twinkle in his eyes. “We want yeh to look nice for Fíli, don’t we?” Before Kíli could protest or ask Dwalin what he meant, Madam McGonagall had turned up, ushering them into the dining room so the topic was promptly forgotten.

“When did you arrive?” Kíli asked Fíli once he was seated next to him. Fíli smiled. “We got here this afternoon when you were out playing football.”

“You should have told me! I would ditch football and come back to see you right away.”

“Fíli wants to keep it as a surprise, lad,” said Dwalin as he sat himself down to the other side of Kíli. “We got here early to help set up the party.”

And what a party it was! Kíli had never seen such delectable food in the orphanage. Fíli and Dwalin had helped as Kíli could see some of the magical sweets at one end of the table, which had gained the interest of many of his fellow orphans. Dean bravely tried one of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and quickly spat it out, his face twisted in disgust. Kíli sniggered. He had learnt to be very cautious even around some innocuous-looking ones.

In addition to the food, Dwalin had also brought a wizarding radio. Kíli had never seen one before nor had he heard any songs from the Wizarding world. He was therefore pleasantly surprised to find the songs very exuberant with strong beats and beautiful lyrics. Kíli found himself tapping his feet to the music without even realising it.

“It’s Dwarf music,” said Fíli as he joined Kíli too. “We’re a very musical race and our songs are more lively than those of the Elves. Come on, let’s dance.” He held out his hand, which Kíli took after a moment’s hesitation. Yet the smile on Fíli’s face was simply too bright for Kíli to refuse him.

As an orphan, extracurricular activity options could be very limited. Thus Kíli had never taken a dance lesson before. When he joined Fíli, however, he was astonished to find himself moving with the music naturally. His hands clapping and his feet moving, it was as if he was born for this.

“Yeh dance like a true Dwarf,” laughed Dwalin and he too joined the dance. “All Dwarves know how to dance. It’s in our blood.”

Soon, they were joined by more orphans as everyone seemed to fall in love with the upbeat and joyful music. Even some of the matrons such as Mrs Evans partook in the festivity. It was a true party, the best birthday Kíli had ever had. Everyone was having a splendid time. All his Muggle friends were so impressed by the magical items Fíli and Dwalin had brought that they could not stop asking them questions about the magical world. Kíli felt a slight pang of jealousy when he saw Fíli surrounded by Dean and Seamus, which dissipated immediately when Fíli waved at him to join the conversation.

“What have you got for Kíli’s present?” asked Dean as he craned forward to look behind Fíli, barely able to contain his enthusiasm. Kíli felt his face heat up. Surely this surprise party was the birthday present and he honestly could not ask for more. Not wishing to appear pressuring or worse ungrateful, he quickly said, “this party is the best present! Why do I need anything else when I’m surrounded by friends and family?”

“I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the party,” beamed Fíli, his arm wrapped loosely around Kíli’s shoulder. “But I do have a present for you.”

“But… What…” Kíli stuttered, unable to believe his ears. A present on top of this? How could he accept such generosity from Fíli?

“It’s from both of us,” said Dwalin, who had overheard the conversation. “Mostly from me really. Call it 11 years’ worth of birthday presents combined.” With that, he rummaged in his bag and brought out a small box. Kíli’s breath hitched. With trembling hands, he took the box from Dwalin and opened it, only to find himself face-to-face with a miniature broomstick.

Kíli blinked. Was this some sort of consolation prize given that he could not afford a real one himself? “Er, thanks a lot. This is, er, really nice.”

Fíli rolled his eyes. “Dwalin…”

“Oh, right,” Dwalin slapped his hand heavily on his head. The loud cracking sound made both Dean and Seamus jump. “I forgot yeh didn’t know. Right.” He looked around to make sure nobody else was watching. “Better not tell anyone I’m doing this. Here yeh go.” He pointed his wand at the broom and it expanded to the size of a real racing broomstick. Dean and Seamus gasped. So did Kíli.

It was simply the best broomstick Kíli had ever seen. Unlike the old broomsticks at Hogwarts, all of which were heavily-worn with waylaid branches sticking out in all sorts of angles, this one was neatly trimmed with sleek handles and high-polished tails. A small golden line was neatly carved at the end of the handle, Nimbus 2000, the latest model.

“Wow,” Kíli found himself utterly speechless in the face of something as spectacular as this. Never in his wildest dream did he imagine owning a brand new racing broom. It must have cost a fortune! “I’m sorry,” Kíli felt his heart break as he handed the broomstick back to Dwalin, “but I can’t accept it. It’s too much.”

“Nonsense,” Dwalin shoved the broom back to Kíli. “Your dad was my best friend so I should’ve watched yeh grow up like I did Fíli. Yet I was absent from yer life for the past 11 years. I need to somehow make up for that.”

“And I missed your birthday last year so I’ve got some catching up to do too,” Fíli said gently. When Kíli looked ready to protest, he continued in a louder voice. “Take it, Kíli. We’re never going to take it back. We want you to be happy and this is the least we can do.”

“It’s still too much,” muttered Kíli. Fíli smiled, “It’s not the monetary value of the present that matters, is it? We give this to you because we believe this is what your heart wants the most. We’re doing this because you’re our best friend and we care about you. Please don’t make us take it back. It will only make us feel bad.”

Unable to argue with Fíli, which was hardly news for him, Kíli reluctantly took the broomstick. He hugged Fíli and Dwalin so tightly that he thought he might have strangled them, a poor way to show his appreciation for their effort for sure. But Fíli and Dwalin simply laughed.

“Now yeh can try out for Gryffindor!” cried Dwalin excitedly. “I reckon yeh’ve got a good chance, lad. Mahal knows we desperately need a decent Seeker.”

By the time Fíli and Dwalin took their leave, it was almost midnight and the party had finally quieted down. Kíli wished he could stay in that moment forever, for he simply could not remember being happier or more grateful in his life. Yet all good things must come to an end. So Kíli bid his friends farewell with a heavy heart.

“It’s only another month,” Fíli whispered into Kíli’s ears when he hugged him goodbye. “Then we shall be reunited again. I’ll write every day, I promise.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With his new textbooks and his new broomstick to keep him occupied, the next month passed surprisingly quickly for Kíli. Even though he still could not perform magic or fly in the orphanage, Kíli had found that time passed almost in a blur when he was simply admiring his broomstick. It was, without any doubt, the best thing he had ever owned. All his friends in the orphanage shared the same opinion so Kíli often found himself in the company of several of them, all eager to see his new racing broom. It was not until the last week of the summer holidays that Kíli realised that he had to focus more of his time and energy on his schoolwork, especially the subjects that desperately needed work, namely Potions.

To this date, Kíli still could not fathom why his Potions performance was so abysmal. Sure, he might not like the subject much. Yet he was not thick enough, or at least he hoped not, to warrant such a catastrophic experience. Truth be told, it was a slight blow to his ego. He had considered himself fairly clever. He might not be the star student like Fíli but he was a decent student with at least average grades in most subjects while excelling in a couple. His Potions marks, therefore, were unfathomable to Kíli. For his first year, Kíli had decided to give himself some leeway. It was his first year in a world he knew nothing about before. He was at a natural disadvantage. Now that he had learnt the basics, however, Kíli vowed to do better. So he spent a lot of his time reading his Potions textbook, trying to understand more about the theories behind it and the different qualities of the ingredients.

When the 1st of September came, Kíli had all his things packed before he bid everyone goodbye. Madam McGonagall wanted to send him off at the King’s Cross Station but Kíli insisted on going by himself. The first day of school is always a hectic one with so many orphans going to different schools at the same time. Kíli had no wish to burden Madam McGonagall any further. Besides, he was more than capable of handling a trip to the train station by himself.

Platform 9¾ was its usual bustling self with all the students, parents, and magical pets rushing to get onto the Hogwarts Express. Kíli arrived with only 5 minutes to spare. After loading his luggage onto the train, he could finally breathe and started looking for his friends.

The first ones he found were Gimli and Ori, who were sitting in their compartment playing Exploding Snap.

“Hey,” Kíli smiled as Gimli and Ori looked up. The card exploded at that precise moment, making both of them jump and curse loudly.

“Right,” Kíli sniggered at the singed robes of Gimli and Ori, “have you seen Fíli yet?”

“No,” growled Gimli, patting his robe sadly, “I reckon he’ll be here soon though. He’s never late, that Fíli.”

So Kíli settled for watching the game, which was gripping, mostly due to the unpredictable nature of the cards’ explosion patterns. Kíli declined the invitation to play, however. He valued his face and his robes too much for that.

“How was your holiday?” Kíli asked at the end of one game. Gimli beamed. “It was absolutely wicked. Dad took me to South America to visit the ruins of the Inca people. Did you know that they were one of the earliest Wizarding settlements and a large majority of them were Dwarves? The things they have built are unbelievable.”

“Mine was okay,” said Ori with a trace of longing in his voice. “Nori really wanted to take me somewhere fun but Dori downright refused. Unfortunately, since the last incident, Dori has cast many spells both to prevent us from leaving and to alert him whenever we do try. So it was just a lot of studying. I tried to ask Fíli if he wanted to hang out more but he seemed too busy for that.”

Kíli knew he shouldn’t but he could not help but feel a sense of pride. Thanks to Dís, Kíli knew the real reason behind Fíli’s reluctance to meet with Ori. He supposed he should feel sorry for Ori but the fact that Fíli would turn down his friend’s invitation because he missed Kíli too much filled Kíli with guilty pleasure.

That did not last, however, for Fíli failed to turn up even an hour into the journey. Kíli was growing ever more agitated until Gimli finally spoke up. “Relax. Fíli probably missed the train because he slept in or something. He could always get to Hogwarts from their fireplace.”

“But Fíli’s never late,” Kíli insisted, his worry intensifying the more he thought about it. “And he hates using his privilege as Professor Thorin’s nephew. He even rode the train last year, didn’t he? Even if he did miss the train for some strange reason, he would have written to me about it. He promised to meet me on the train.”

“He is probably distracted and hasn’t got the time to do so yet,” Ori said placatingly but Kíli was not buying it. “I don’t like this. I think something’s wrong. I’m going to go and investigate.”

Locating a person on the Hogwarts Express was not easy, given the number of students on board, which was made more complicated by the nonstop commotions from students and their magical pets. All the students seemed overjoyed by their reunion with their friends after a two-month separation and had decided to demonstrate that via various types of spells and pranks. Kíli had to duck quickly when Lindir threw a hex at Aragorn, who as a Prefect was doing rounds, missing him narrowly while hitting one of the evil twins standing behind Aragorn. 

“This is madness,” Kíli said desperately while he was crouched down on the floor. Next to him stood Aragorn, trying fruitlessly to break the fight between Lindir and the evil twins.

“You better get back to your compartment,” Aragorn shouted back as he erected a quick protective shield between them and the spells flying in all directions.

“I can’t,” said Kíli, “I have to find Fíli.”

Aragorn frowned. “Isn’t he in your compartment? I’ve patrolled most of the compartments on that side but didn’t see him in any one of them.”

Kíli’s heart sank. He did not see Fíli on his way here either, which meant that his friend was not in any of the compartments. Where could Fíli be? Was Gimli correct in that Fíli never made it to the Hogwarts Express?

“I could use a little help here!” Lindir’s voice jerked Kíli out of his thoughts. The end of his long dark hair was emitting green smoke. Next to him, the evil twins were cackling insanely. “Serves you right, you little git.”

“Sorry, Lindir,” said Kíli apologetically, “but I have to find Fíli.”

“Isn’t he in your compartment,” yelled Lindir, blocking a spell cast by one of the twins by the second. “I saw him when I boarded the train. I thought he went straight to find you.”

It was hard to say whether this piece of information filled Kíli with joy or dread. On one hand, he was glad that Fíli was on the train and not hurt somewhere else. On the other, he was alarmed to learn that Fíli was not in any of the compartments. Something must have happened.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Aragorn asked, sounding concerned now.

“It’s okay,” Kíli did not feel right to drag Aragorn away when Lindir could very well lose all his hair and limbs to the evil twins. “I’ll go but you need to stay here to save Lindir’s arse.”

“Okay,” Aragorn did not argue, mostly because one of the evil twins had just set Lindir’s hair on fire, “but let me know if you need anything, okay?”

Kíli had to think for a minute about where to go next. Since Fíli was not in any of the compartments, Kíli doubted there was any point going through them. He supposed he could check all the lavatories on the train but somehow this idea did not seem very appealing. Yet he had little choice so Kíli braced himself and headed for the nearest one.

It was thankfully empty so Kíli simply moved on. One after another he checked. Most of them were empty, though he did have a few encounters he would rather forget, one involving a 6th year Slytherin and a 5th year Ravenclaw. Kíli backed out the moment he saw them and ran as fast as he could.

By the time he reached the other end of the train, where most of the Slytherins were seated, Kíli had almost given up hope. There were only a few lavatories left and Kíli could not imagine Fíli hiding in any one of them. He was therefore utterly astonished when he saw Fíli’s stiff form lying facedown on the floor of a lavatory, his school trunk wide open, the content of which lying haphazardly on top of him.

“Fíli!” Kíli cried as he rushed to his friend. “Let me get this off you.” He immediately levitated the school trunk off Fíli and rolled Fíli around. Fíli’s eyes moved but his body remained still. Only then did Kíli realise that Fíli must have been cursed. 

“Okay, now,” mumbled Kíli, thinking hard. “I think someone cast a Petrificus Totalus on you but I need to be sure. Roll your eyes if I’m right.”

Fíli rolled his eyes as a confirmation and Kíli sighed with relief. It was something he could deal with. “Okay, good. Now. Finite Incantatem.”

The moment the counter-spell hit him, Fíli could move again. He groaned and scrambled to get up. Kíli hastened to help him up while checking if he was hurt elsewhere.

“I’m fine,” croaked Fíli, his voice coarse. “My forehead is a bitter sore from the fall but nothing serious.”

“You hit your head on the fall?” Kíli knew he was panicking but Fíli stopped him, “It’s fine, really. Dwarves have unusually strong heads, remember? You should see Dwalin duel in close range. It’s bizarre how many times he headbutts his opponents.”

Momentarily distracted by that particular mental image, Kíli almost sniggered before he realised that they were in the middle of a crisis. Turning back to the more urgent point in hand, he pressed, “are you sure you’re okay? Do you need some pain potions? Maybe we should take you to Mister Oín once you’re in Hogwarts.”

“I’m really fine,” Fíli smiled at Kíli’s fussing. “I’d be more than happy to get out of here though.”

“Right.” Kíli grabbed Fíli’s belongings and threw them into his trunk so they could finally leave the lavatory. When they walked past the Slytherin compartments, Kíli could hear sniggering and felt Fíli tense next to him. Not wishing to linger any longer, Kíli quickened his pace without breaking into an outright run. Kíli thought he spotted Bolg’s ugly head amongst the Slytherins but he had no time to stop and confirm.

Once they were away from the Slytherin compartments, they slowed down and Kíli could finally ask Fíli what had happened.

“Someone cursed me behind my back when I was looking for a compartment,” spat Fíli, his nostrils flaring. 

“Did you catch who did that?” asked Kíli but he somehow knew the answer already.

“No,” Fíli said through gritted teeth, “my attacker levitated me and my luggage from behind too. I couldn’t catch a glimpse of him. The next thing I know, I was picked up, manhandled, and stuffed into a lavatory. My luggage landed on me a little later.” He paused, looking distinctly embarrassed.

“What’s the matter?” Kíli asked, feeling concerned. What else had happened to Fíli?

“Well, I thought, er, he might be feeling me up.” Fíli’s face was a deep shade of crimson now. “I can’t be sure but he was definitely touching me all over.”

Kíli gaped. This was way too much information than what he would like to know. “But you’re sure it’s a he.”

“The voice was definitely male.” Fíli nodded, his face still red. “He was also very strong because he basically carried me into the lavatory. I couldn’t make out who it was though. He did not exactly shout out the incantation.”

Kíli hesitated before asking in a small voice, “was it Bolg?”

Fíli’s face turned a delicate shade of green. “I don’t know.” Grabbing his hair in frustration, Fíli looked positively demented. Kíli could hardly blame him. “It definitely could be but I can’t be sure. Is he even on the train?”

“I think I saw him in one of the Slytherin compartments,” Kíli said. “But why would he curse you though? I mean,” Kíli swallowed hard, “he can’t really be, you know, interested in you in that way, can he?”

Fíli looked like he was about to be sick so Kíli finally took pity on him. “So maybe he’s just trying to scare you. But still, I thought it’s me he hates.” 

“Maybe he got us confused,” Fíli said but Kíli could tell that there was no real conviction in his voice. Nobody in their right mind could mix them up, with their different builds and hair colours. Maybe it was not Bolg after all.

“Do you know anyone else who might hold a grudge against you?” Or be in love with you in a twisted way, thought Kíli. He kept that to himself.

Fíli thought hard. “Well, I don’t think I know anyone who wants to curse me but maybe they want to curse the nephew of Thorin? I mean, uncle is not the most popular Dwarf amongst other races. His tough stance on many issues has protected the interest of the Dwarves but inevitably created many enemies outside.”

“That would make sense,” said Kíli thoughtfully. “They may think that you’re just like your uncle. Or maybe they think that by hurting you, they can send your uncle a message.”

“Well, we won’t know for sure, will we?” sighed Fíli. “I guess we just have to watch our backs more, something we’re used to anyway.”

“Are you going to report this to any of the teachers?”

Fíli shook his head vehemently. “No! I mean, what’s the point? I don’t know who cursed me so it’s only going to make them worry unnecessarily.”

“But surely…” Kíli’s protest was interrupted by Fíli. “No, Kíli. It’s fine. We’ll be more cautious from now on but I don’t want anyone worried about me. Uncle will probably go berserk and trust me, you don’t want an angry uncle around.”

Kíli could hardly argue with the last point so he conceded defeat. In the back of his mind, however, something kept nagging him. He was not entirely sure which aspect sounded scarier, a creep who was interested in Fíli or one of Thorin’s enemies. He hoped with all his heart that it was neither. Maybe it was just a prank and he was just paranoid. It would be nice to get through a year in Hogwarts without too much trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Quidditch tryout turned out to be more dramatic than Kíli had anticipated.

When they finally arrived at Hogsmeade station, Kíli was all set to go to Dwalin, who was there to greet the students as usual. Fíli grabbed his hand before he could make it, however. “We don’t go to the castle by boat now. That’s only for the first years.”

“Right,” Kíli said albeit with a tinge of disappointment. He had enjoyed the boat ride. “So we go by carriages like we did on Christmas?”

Fíli nodded. “Here they are.”

Kíli turned around. Not far from there stood many horseless carriages. As they waited there, Kíli saw some older students climbing into a carriage, which moved on its own after the door was shut close. The sight was no less strange the second or third time around.

“What exactly is pulling the carriage?”

Fíli shrugged. “No idea. I remember it moving by itself since I first saw them ages ago. I asked uncle about it but he refused to tell me. Must be some kind of magic.”

Kíli got into the carriage with Fíli, Gimli, and Ori. It was much more comfortable inside than the boat, with cushioned seats, a little lamp hanging in the corner, and plenty of room to move their limbs. The lamp cast a warm light, creating an atmosphere of comfort and safety against the darkness outside. Kíli wished he could tell his friends what happened to Fíli on the Hogwarts Express but a look from Fíli silenced him. It was not his story to tell after all.

Their ride to the castle was faster this time via carriage and certainly less wet. The first years only appeared after they had all settled down at their respective tables. Kíli could see the sense of anticipation and fear on the faces of the first years and wondered if he looked the same last year. 

“Hopefully we get some good students this year,” said Aragorn, their Prefect, as he watched the Sorting with avid attention. Since this was the Start-of-the-Term Feast, all the students were sitting according to their actual Houses. “I’m really hoping we can win at least one of the Cups this year. Summer holiday at the Imladris’s was unbearable with Arwen and Lord Elrond gloating about Ravenclaw’s double win.”

Kíli chuckled. He knew Aragorn was exaggerating because he could not imagine either Arwen or Professor Elrond gloating. The evil twins might if the situation were reversed. Nevertheless, he shared Aragorn’s sentiment completely. He would love more than anything for Gryffindor to win the House Cup or the Quidditch Cup.

“When are we holding the Quidditch tryout?” Gimli asked as apparently, the Sorting ceremony was boring him.

“A couple of weeks into the term I think. Are you going to try out for the team?” Aragorn suddenly sounded a lot more enthusiastic as he looked Kíli up and down. “I reckon you’d make a fair Seeker. You’ve certainly got the build for it, not too heavy but strong enough. Hmm, I heard that you’re a decent flyer too. Have you got a broom? Maybe we can get you one. I’m sure Lady Galadriel can think of something.”

“Woah, woah, Aragorn, slow down,” Kíli laughed. “I’ve already got a nice broom. Fíli and Professor Dwalin gave it to me as my birthday present.”

“Excellent!” Aragorn rubbed his hands in excitement. “Oh, I can’t wait for the day when we win the Quidditch Cup so I can laugh at Arwen’s face.” Not losing any time, he turned straight to the evil twins and Oliver Wood and was soon absorbed in a heated Quidditch discussion.

“It would be nice, wouldn’t it, winning the Quidditch Cup,” Gimli sighed hopefully. “Gryffindor hasn’t won it for three years since our last good Seeker left.”

Now all this talk was making Kíli nervous. He was not even on the team yet! Not wishing to indulge Gimli any further on the subject, Kíli averted his friend’s gaze to look around the Great Hall.

It seemed like Gryffindor had gained a decent number of students this year, as did Hufflepuff. Kíli caught sight of Fíli sitting at the Ravenclaw table, talking animatedly to Lindir and Ori. Feeling a slight pang of jealousy he could not quite explain, Kíli looked away again, only to land his eyes at the Slytherin table.

Even at a distance, there was no mistaking the ugly bald head and the leering smirk of Bolg. The Half-Orc caught Kíli’s eyes and laughed triumphantly. Next to him sat Legolas, who, to his surprise, seemed none too pleased with the seating arrangements. Every now and then, he would cast a sceptical look at Bolg, who was relishing the animosity. What had happened between Legolas and Bolg, who were inseparable the year before? Had Legolas finally learnt his lesson or was Bolg simply rebelling now that he had done the unthinkable?

“What in the name of Mahal is he doing here?” Gimli’s angry yell brought Kíli back to earth. “I thought Bolg’s not coming back!”

“Unfortunately his father managed to bribe his son back into Hogwarts,” said Aragorn with a disgusted look on his handsome face. “Professor Gandalf could not overturn the decision when both of the Ministry officials voted in favour of Bolg’s return. Not only that, they even decided to allow Bolg to continue on with the second year. Professor Gandalf was not happy about it, neither were the staff members.”

This was clearly the case, for all the professors at the Staff table either frowned or scowled when their eyes landed on Bolg. Even Thorin looked disgruntled at the return of that particular student of his. Bolg, however, did not care. He was lounging carelessly when Professor Gandalf made the speech, smirking the whole time. When he caught Kíli’s eyes again at the end of the Feast, he had the audacity to wink at Kíli, which made him feel absolutely revoluted.

“That little git,” Gimli spat angrily when Kíli’s face had turned green. “We’ll make him regret the day that he sneaks back to Hogwarts. He won’t know what hits him. I promise.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The start of the second year was largely uneventful. Kíli had received his new timetable, which changed very little from the previous year. They were taking the same classes as before, just more difficult.

All the teachers started the first lesson by revising what had been taught the year before. Kíli was grateful for that because he had little chance to practice his spellwork over the summer. His attempt at Transfiguration was average at best. After receiving extra homework to improve on his spells, Kíli walked out of the class with his head down, avoiding Lady Galadriel’s eyes.

“It’s not bad, really,” Fíli said encouragingly at the lunch table, which was not exactly helpful as Fíli’s spell was near perfection and earned him 20 points from Lady Galadriel. “Transfiguration is notoriously difficult and you couldn’t practice during the summer. I’m sure it will be fine once you practice it a little bit.”

“Trouble with Transfiguration?” asked Lindir as he threw himself down in the Gryffindor table. “Lady Galadriel asked us to transform a teapot into a tortoise in our class. Mine had a spout instead of a head and started squirting hot tea everywhere. It nearly ruined Lady Galadriel’s robes.”

Kíli laughed. This did make him feel better. If someone like Lindir, who was a pureblood Elf, could not perform a proper transfiguration spell, his own failure seemed less consequential. Fíli gave Lindir a warm smile, which the latter returned with a wink. 

“You really should work harder at Transfiguration,” Aragorn admonished seriously. “I’m sure Arwen will be more than happy to tutor you after lunch.”

“Doesn’t Arwen have classes to go to after lunch?” asked Kíli, slightly confused.

“We’ve got a free period after lunch,” explained Aragorn. “You can choose which classes you want to take after your O.W.L.s. Well, you have to qualify for the class based on your O.W.L. results but you can drop certain classes. Both of us dropped History of Magic. Arwen dropped Arithmancy too and I dropped Care of Magical Creatures. So we’re only taking 6 classes. That gives us a lot more time to focus on what we really want to learn.”

“Snogging then, surely.” Gimli’s cheek earned him a swat on the head from Aragorn and a proud laugh from Lindir.

“So you can drop any class you want?” asked Kíli once the commotion had died down. Aragorn nodded. “Yeah, some people only take a couple of classes because they have a clear career goal that doesn’t require a lot of N.E.W.T.s. It’s really up to you. I’m hoping to apply to be an Auror while Arwen wants to be a Healer. Both of them are amongst the most difficult ones so we need all those classes.”

This gave Kíli some new hope. He tried to imagine the days when he could finally drop Potions and found himself thrilled over the happy prospect. He did not really want to drop Transfiguration, if only for an excuse to admire Lady Galadriel. It might not be a choice for him, however, as it sounded like he needed to work a lot harder to qualify for the advanced class.

To Kíli’s surprise, his first Potions class turned out better than he imagined. Thorin had apparently decided to take a new approach towards Kíli where he largely ignored Kíli’s existence. This worked quite well for Kíli and his potion turned out to be passable at the end of the class, a real first in the Potions dungeon. When he handed in his potion, Kíli held his breath, bracing himself for Thorin’s usual snide remarks. Thorin, however, merely grunted without looking up before taking the phial. 

“Uncle doesn’t hate you,” Fíli said when Kíli asked him about Thorin’s sudden change of attitude. “He may not like you because of his history with your dad but he doesn’t hate you. I think he feels a bit bad about what Bolg did to you last semester. He is in uncle’s House after all and uncle feels responsible. Besides, you sacrificed yourself to save my life! Uncle knows that he’s not unreasonable. He may be strict and a tad biased sometimes. But he knows what’s right and what’s wrong more than anyone else.”

With this unexpected but pleasant nonetheless change, Kíli found himself happier than he had ever been in his life. With extra motivation, Kíli threw himself into the flying practices while still doing his coursework whenever he could.

Since Flying lesson was only required for first-year students, they now had two free periods every week where they could go flying on their own. Not everyone capitalised on this, of course. Ori, for instance, had no wish to spend two hours every week outside on a broom when he could be reading in the library. Kíli and Fíli, however, used the time to its fullest. Kíli soon found himself in love with his new Nimbus 2000. He could finally understand what everyone was raving about. Not only was the broom extremely fast, so fast that Kíli nearly fell off it because he was so used to the old school broomsticks, but it was also very easy to control. A slight touch from Kíli would be enough to steer the broom in the right direction. The more he was used to the broom, the more confident he felt. He was fast and agile, easily swerving and dodging the Bludger sent his way by Fíli while still keeping his eyes open.

Fíli, on the other hand, had a completely different style. He was the typical Dwarf Beater. He might not be as fast as Kíli but he could pack a punch with his Bludgers. Kíli watched in amazement as Fíli sent a Bludger soaring from one side of the pitch to the other so fast that Kíli almost missed it. Fíli’s aim was also frighteningly good and it took Kíli all his skills to dodge the Bludgers sent his way.

“I reckon we’ve both got a decent chance at making it,” panted Kíli after a particularly hard session. “When is your tryout?”

“This Saturday morning, right after yours,” smiled Fíli, “You want to stay and watch?”

“Of course!” Kíli said excitedly. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kíli woke up early on Saturday, his nerves finally getting to him. After tossing and turning in bed for a good twenty minutes, he finally gave up and went straight to the Great Hall.

To his surprise, Fíli was already there, eating his breakfast at the Ravenclaw table. In fact, the Great Hall was pretty much empty except for the Quidditch team members and the enthusiasts of the sport. Kíli spotted Bain at the Hufflepuff table and thought he must be trying out for the Hufflepuff team. At the Slytherin table, there was no mistaking the platinum blond hair of Legolas.

“It’s quite a turnout this year, isn’t it?” asked Kíli, trying to sound casual, as he took the seat next to Fíli. “How do you feel?” 

“We don’t welcome non-Ravenclaws here today,” Lindir said, half laughing half serious.

“Why?” laughed Kíli. “It’s not like I’m going to poison you or anything.”

“Lucky you’re a Gryffindor and Fíli’s best friend.” Arwen had just glided in gracefully, somehow managing to look divine even in her full Quidditch gear. “We’ve had such incidents before with the Slytherins.”

“Really?” Kíli supposed he really ought not to be shocked given his past experience with the Slytherins or two particular Slytherins, but still. He turned to Fíli, who looked positively queasy with his pale face and the dark bags under his eyes, a sight so rare that Kíli had to blink a couple of times to ensure he was not seeing things.

“What’s the matter, Fíli?”

“It’s just nerves,” Lindir sighed dramatically. “People get that sometimes, you know? I can still remember my first Quidditch tryout. Almost wet myself.”

“I thought that was the twins pouring pumpkin juice down your trousers,” said Arwen and Kíli sniggered.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot. Good times, eh?”

“It’s going to be alright, Fíli,” Kíli patted his friend clumsily on the back. “You’re a great flyer and I’m sure you’ll make it.”

“But what if I don’t?” Fíli said in a voice so small that even Kíli had trouble hearing him. “Everybody expects me to but what if I don’t? Uncle will be so disappointed.”

Now Kíli knew where Fíli’s anxiety was coming from. Being the heir of one of the most legendary leaders of the Dwarves was no easy task. Despite Fíli’s easygoing nature and more or less laid-back attitude, the pressure still got to him sometimes. To be honest, Kíli thought Thorin was strict enough to scare anyone senseless so he could hardly blame Fíli. It did not sit well with him, however. Kíli had always valued freedom more than anything, which thankfully he had been able to enjoy so far. He might be poor and only a half-blood, but he only did things that he wanted to do, not things that others expected him to do.

“Forget about your uncle,” said Kíli firmly. “As long as you’ve tried your best, nobody can say anything about it.”

“But uncle…”

“Can go mind his own business.” Kíli could have used harsher words but given Thorin’s recently softened attitude towards Kíli, he had decided to remain civil. “I’m sorry but this is your life. You’re doing this for yourself, Fíli,” he paused. “You are, aren’t you?”

“Well,” Fíli sighed, “yes, I do want to be on the Quidditch team if that’s what you’re asking. It’s just, well, I feel like I need to live up to his expectations.”

“You’ve lived up to the expectations of any reasonable person,” cried Kíli. “You’re the best student of our year. You’re sensible and very responsible. You’re a great friend and extremely loyal. What else can one ask? I mean, seriously, are you really going to lead the Dwarves with your prodigious Quidditch skills? What are you going to do, knock out every opponent with a Beater’s bat?”

Fíli laughed. “Well, when you put it like that, it sounds stupid. I guess I was just overreacting.”

“It’s just pressure,” beamed Kíli now that Fíli looked a lot more relaxed. “Come on, have some breakfast. You need the energy for the tryout.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The actual tryout took place in the Quidditch Practice Pitch. Gryffindor’s was the first, where a good dozen people turned up for the Seeker position. Kíli was the youngest of them all. Everyone else looked a lot more experienced than he was, which made him doubt if he was doing the right thing. What if he was just making a fool of himself?

“Great turnout!” said Aragorn, their Quidditch Captain. It was Oliver Wood, the Keeper, however, who took charge as he rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Welcome to the Gryffindor Quidditch tryout this year! We have only one position open but what a position it is. Any one of you could be the star of the team, catching the Snitch to win the match for us, the greatest glory of all. Now, if you could line up over there so we can take you one by one.”

Kíli shuffled to the end of the queue. Part of him desperately wanted to get it over with but the rational part of him, which sounded awfully like Fíli, did a good job of convincing him that strategically waiting and watching others fly would play to his advantage. He could assess his opponents and learn from their mistakes.

The first couple of people to try out were simply abysmal. One of them barely managed to stay on the broom for more than a minute before he shrieked when he saw a Bludger coming his way and fell off the broom promptly, which ironically did allow him to avoid the Bludger he otherwise certainly was not capable of doing. They did not see a decent flyer until the fifth person in, a beautiful Elf girl who zoomed around the pitch gracefully. Her speed, however, was not that impressive and only caught the Snitch after a good twenty minutes.

When it was Kíli’s turn, he was trembling from head to foot. He walked up to Aragorn so stiffly that his legs kept bumping into his Nimbus 2000. Oliver Wood gave him a critical look before nodding, seemingly pleased with what he had seen. Aragorn smiled at him encouragingly while the evil twin cackled. Tauriel shot them a nasty look before beaming at Kíli. Kíli almost choked on his tongue. 

Before he kicked off the ground, Kíli looked around the pitch for the last time and his eyes landed on Fíli, who was sitting at the edge of his seat in the Stands. When Fíli caught his eyes, he beamed at Kíli and gave him a big thumbs up. This calmed Kíli down more than anything else. Fíli had seen him play and he believed in him. Now he just had to do what he did before with Fíli in practice and everything would be fine.

The moment Aragorn released the Snitch, Kíli had eyes on nothing else. It was as if the outside world ceased to exist. The only thing he could focus on was the Snitch. Zooming around the pitch with his eyes wide open, Kíli kept looking until he heard the whooshing noise of a Bludger coming his way. Dodging it at the last minute, Kíli soon returned to his task. He had never felt his senses keener. Every fibre of his being was alert and then he spotted it, the flighty little golden ball half-hidden behind a goal post. Lowering his body flat on his broom, Kíli shot at the Snitch so fast that he nearly ran Oliver off his broom. But Kíli did not care. He wanted the Snitch and then…

_ Bang! _

A loud cracking noise made Kíli look down and he realised belatedly that his outstretched arm was hit by the Bludger sent by one of the evil twins. Yet he had no time to think or feel as the Snitch was so close. Not caring about his balance, Kíli released his other arm from the broomstick and dived forward. The next thing he knew, he was falling so fast that he was sure this was it. Well, Kíli thought bitterly, his broken arm hurting like mad now, at least he had got the Snitch.

“Arresto Momentum!”

Fíli’s loud voice could be heard against the gushing wind and then, miraculously, Kíli felt himself slowing down. Now filled with new-found hope, Kíli spread out his limbs and arched his back as much as possible to break the fall. When he was closer to the ground, he shifted into a stand position and bent his knees, ready for the impact.

The landing was as painful as it could be, compounded by the fact that Kíli fell to his broken arm’s side, squashing the arm. But at least he did not fall back, thought Kíli, slightly delirious from all the pain and adrenaline. It seemed like he had somehow survived.

“Eru forbid!” cried Tauriel, who was the first one by his side. “You’re really badly hurt, Kíli! We need to get you to the Hospital Wing.”

“Let me,” Aragorn seemed to be the only composed one, judging by the commotion around Kíli. “Wingardium Leviosa.”

“Fíli,” said Kíli faintly, trying to look around for his friend and saviour, a move made more difficult since he was levitated mid-air by Aragorn. 

“I’m here,” Fíli’s soft voice and his hand on Kíli’s good arm calmed Kíli down immediately. He turned left and saw a white-faced Fíli walking next to him. Underneath the calm composure, Kíli could see the storm in Fíli’s beautiful blue eyes. He gave Fíli a grateful smile, which Fíli returned faintly.

“Oh, I’ve got the Snitch.” Kíli opened his palm to show Aragorn the fluttering wings of the golden ball. “I’m not sure how long it took me but it didn’t feel long. When can I know the results?”

Aragorn looked at Kíli as if he had just grown a new head. Oliver looked like Christmas had come early. Tauriel, on the other hand, lost it completely.

“Are you insane, Kíli? You almost got yourself killed and for what? A Quidditch tryout? How can you be so…”

“Hey!” Oliver was clearly not impressed with Tauriel’s tone. “What Kíli did is admirable. We need a player with this kind of attitude. Win the match or die trying!”

“Well,” Tauriel’s green eyes were blazing, “he almost did, you git. Quidditch is not worth dying for, not anyone except you!”

“Please, Tauriel, Wood,” said Fíli through gritted teeth, “not here and not now. Kíli needs urgent medical attention.”

Although Kíli was grateful for Fíli’s intervention, he knew that his best friend did not feel as calm as he looked. Knowing Fíli, he was almost certain that there would be a big conversation once he had somewhat recovered. At the moment, however, Kíli was under such agony that he would be more than happy to simply black out. Fortunately, Aragorn seemed to have sensed Kíli’s pain, as he nodded to Kíli before muttering a spell that sent Kíli to sweet obliviousness.

The next time Kíli woke up, the sun was so bright outside that it must be around noon. His stomach was also grumbling so Kíli tried to sit up. To his great relief, nothing hurt that much.

“Oh, you’re awake.” Fíli had just walked in with Aragorn, both holding a tray. Kíli’s stomach protested even louder at the smell of the delicious food. “How are you feeling?”

“Not bad, actually,” said Kíli, eyeing the plate hopefully. Fíli put the tray on the nightstand of Kíli’s bed without a word, which instantly alarmed Kíli.

“Er, what time is it?” asked Kíli, hoping to get the conversation started. 

“It’s 2 o’clock already.” It was Aragorn who answered because Fíli was still staring at Kíli with such intensity that Kíli almost fidgeted. “Oh, and congratulations by the way. Despite your rather appalling lack of sense and priority, well, to anyone except Oliver that is, we’re impressed by your flying skills so you’re part of the team. As your Captain, I expect you to show more sense from now on though.”

Kíli almost cried out in happiness but his laughter died when he saw the ever stormier expression on Fíli’s face.

“So how did your tryout go?” Kíli addressed Fíli, who gave him an incredulous look. “My tryout?”

“Yeah,” said Kíli, feeling slightly confused. Surely he did not hit his head on his way down.

“You think I have the time and energy to go to the tryout when you were lying here, unconscious?” Fíli hissed in a low voice that sent Kíli’s hair stand on end. “Of course, I didn’t go to my tryout.”

Kíli gaped at Fíli. He knew how much Fíli cared about this and he could not believe that Fíli would give it up for him. But he supposed if the situation were reversed, he would choose to do the same. “I’m so sorry, Fíli! I didn’t realise…”

“You didn’t realise…” Fíli laughed without mirth and Kíli almost recoiled. He had never seen Fíli this angry before. “Of course, you didn’t! You chose to disregard your safety and risk your life for a stupid Snitch! It’s not even a real game! Do you have any idea how your actions might impact others? Have you thought about how we might feel when you fell? What if I didn’t get to cast the spell on time? I would be here, crying over your broken and possibly dead body!”

“I… I didn’t… I just thought…” Kíli stuttered. He had only the Snitch in his mind when he was flying. Now that he came to think about it, he supposed it did look a bit mental, risking one’s life for a Snitch. But that was who he was. Once he put his mind to something, he gave it all his heart. He did it with Defence Against the Dark Arts and he would do it with Quidditch.

His defiance must have shown, for Fíli simply sighed. “I know you put everything into things you’re passionate about, which is what’s so great about you. But please, Kíli, before you rush into things, think about how your choices and actions may affect others. We all care about you and it pains me so to see you inflict pain upon yourself so carelessly.”

That Kíli could not argue. This was not something he was used to. Growing up as an orphan, Kíli had learnt quickly to rely only on himself. While this had taught him resilience and self-sufficiency, it had also made him less aware of his relations with others. He now understood that he had friends who cared deeply about him and that his actions could hurt them, even unintentionally. Hanging his head down in shame, Kíli wished he had not acted so rashly. He had now not only worried Fíli sick but also cost Fíli his place on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.

“I have spoken to Arwen about this,” said Aragorn, who had been a silent observer until now. “She understands the situation and has agreed to give Fíli another chance for an individual tryout. I don’t think she’s particularly happy with the people she’s got today so…”

“Really?” Kíli looked up with a massive sigh of relief. He knew he could not forgive himself if he had ruined Fíli’s chance. “Thank you so much, Aragorn! I really can’t thank you enough, first for bringing me here and now for this! You’re the best!”

“You should thank him for containing Wood and Tauriel too,” snorted Fíli, his usual jovial nature returning after their little talk. “While Wood was ready to kiss you awake because he believes that he has found his new soulmate, Tauriel was absolutely livid. Had you not been unconscious, she would have knocked you out herself.”

Kíli laughed. It was not hard to imagine Tauriel doing something like this at all. Maybe that was why he liked her so much. They were both hot-headed and a bit irrational sometimes. Not that he was not grateful for Aragorn’s intervention. He knew that Tauriel could pack a mean right hook.

“So when’s Fíli’s tryout?”

“Tomorrow morning,” said Aragorn. “All the teams have finished their tryout today so the pitch is free tomorrow.”

“Who did Hufflepuff and Slytherin pick?” Kíli asked, his curiosity piquing. 

“Well, Hufflepuff only needed a reserve Chaser but Bain Dale made it,” said Aragorn. “Their Chaser and Captain, Cedric Diggory, is graduating next year so Bain will play for the first team then. Slytherin needed a Chaser and they picked Legolas Greenleaf. I believe Bolg Gundabad tried out for Beater but he’s not picked. Thank goodness Slytherins have enough sense to not let him anywhere near a Beater’s bat and a Bludger.”

Kíli shuddered. The idea of Bolg in possession of either was enough to send shivers down his spine. He did not particularly enjoy the prospect of having to play against Legolas on the Quidditch pitch where accidents happen all the time. He was sure that Legolas would not lose the opportunity to sabotage him. But at least he was not Bolg. Had Bolg been chosen, the fact that he could access both the Bat and the Bludger was almost enough to send Kíli running for his life before their match against Slytherin. He wondered if Bolg did not get picked for that reason. He surely looked Beater material.

“Bolg should not even be allowed to try out!” Fíli said indignantly, “He’s lucky to even be here. Surely he should be limited to only certain privileges a student enjoys as his punishment and a precaution.”

Aragorn sighed, “I agree with you but unfortunately the Ministry officials have deemed Bolg completely reformed so no restriction is put on his activities within Hogwarts. I know the Headmaster’s not happy about it and Professor Thorin’s furious. But neither can overturn the decision of the Ministry.” 

“Well, at least he’s not playing Quidditch so I don’t have to worry about my life,” shrugged Kíli. Hoping to change the subject to something more pleasant, he asked Fíli, “How long do I have to stay here for? Can I go watch your tryout tomorrow morning?”

“Not a chance, lad.” Oín’s booming voice made them all jump. The Healer came in with his ear trumpet and an assortment of vials. “You’re staying here for the weekend, young man. No outdoor activities tomorrow!”

“But I feel fine now,” Kíli protested. “Why do I have to stay here for another day?”

“Because I want to make sure you’re completely cured,” said Oín with a reproachful look, “And because it will teach you a lesson. I’ve seen you too many times already so perhaps a little extra time here will teach you to think before you act next time.” 

Unfortunately, everyone else appeared to agree with Oín, which left Kíli cooped up in the Hospital Wing for the entire weekend. To add insult to injury, Oín had slipped some sleeping potions into his milk before bed, which was so strong that he slept in late and missed Fíli’s tryout on Sunday. 

“I made it!” Fíli’s excited voice preceded his person, which caused Oín to reprimand him. “Sorry,” Fíli made a face but rushed towards Kíli’s bed, “I made it! I’m officially on the team!”

“Congratulations!” Kíli hugged Fíli tightly as he was filled with relief. His reckless tryout did not ruin Fíli’s after all. “I know you’d make it! There’s no way they’d let you go.”

“Uncle has been so proud,” Fíli beamed. “He did not say much but I can tell from the look on his face that he was extremely pleased. Oh, I can’t wait for the season to start!”

Truth be told, Kíli felt the same way. It seemed like that this year would be anything but boring. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quidditch practices are never as fun under Oliver Wood. But Kíli discovered that he had other matters on his mind.

For the next couple of weeks, both Fíli and Kíli had been living in Cloud 9. Being on the Quidditch had come with many unexpected perks, particularly for Kíli. For one thing, he had become known amongst the Gryffindors as more than, well, Thorin’s heir’s best friend at best, a poor Half-Blood first year at worst. When he was walking to classes or eating at the Great Hall, Gryffindors would stop to wave at him or even come to talk to him. This was such a novel sensation for Kíli that he had to admit the attention was a little intoxicating. Fíli, of course, was used to such treatment as Thorin’s heir that it did not phase him one bit. Though as his best friend, Kíli could tell Fíli was pleased.

Even their professors seemed nicer to them. Lady Galadriel had been particularly encouraging towards Kíli when he again struggled in Transfiguration, which had become even more difficult this year. Bolstered by his new popularity, Kíli vowed to do his best both in Quidditch and in school to demonstrate that it was well-earned.

The downside of their Quidditch fame came one month into the term. It was Thursday dinner time when Kíli found himself at the Ravenclaw table once again, talking animatedly with Fíli about the plan for the weekend.

“I reckon we can finish the Transfiguration essay Saturday morning,” said Kíli confidently, “I think I’ve got a good handle on the theory of transforming animals into inanimate objects at last. Then I probably need your help with Potions. Mine is way too runny. But with any luck, we can get all the schoolwork done on Saturday and finally have Sunday all to ourselves! Imagine how much fun we can have!”

“Hate to interrupt this cosy little discussion,” Lindir’s smirk instantly put Kíli on edge. Nothing good came from that smirk. “But your romantic Saturday is not going to happen. We’ve got Quidditch training Saturday morning. Arwen beat Aragorn to the Quidditch Pitch, which means you Gryffindor lot will have to wait until Saturday afternoon.”

This was something Kíli had not taken into consideration. Somehow it did not register in his mind that he and Fíli were actually on two different Quidditch teams. Judging by the look on Fíli’s face, he just came to the same realisation.

“It’s okay,” said Fíli in a comforting tone. “I’ll find you after your Quidditch practice and we can do the homework Saturday night. Besides, we’ve got the whole Sunday to finish it. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, sure,” said Kíli, barely able to conceal the uncertainty and disappointment in his tone. Not only was their Saturday ruined by separation, but their Sunday was also gone. As much as he wanted to spend time with Fíli doing anything, homework was certainly not his top choice. The prospect of being on a Quidditch team seemed less appealing all of a sudden. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Saturday did come, Kíli got up and dressed with a heavy heart. On his way to breakfast, he wondered if he would be allowed to sit at the Ravenclaw table today. After all, even the friendliest Houses got a bit funny when it comes to Quidditch and the House Cup.

When he walked into the Great Hall, however, Kíli was astonished to see Fíli sitting at the Gryffindor table in his blue and bronze Quidditch robes. Passing by Gryffindors kept shooting strange looks at Fíli, who remained perfectly passive and oblivious to the attention he had attracted.

“Morning, Kíli,” said Fíli with a bright smile when Kíli sat down next to him, “nice day for Quidditch practice, isn’t it?”

“What on earth are you doing here?” Kíli hissed as he looked around nervously. The Gryffindor closest to them was a burly sixth year who gave both of them a reproachful look before returning to his porridge. 

“Eating my breakfast, of course,” said Fíli, perfectly calm. Kíli rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Of course I can see that. What I mean is why are you eating your breakfast here?” 

“Isn’t it what we always do?” Fíli was either being deliberately obtuse or just trying to annoy Kíli. “We always eat breakfast at each other’s tables. Or do you prefer the Ravenclaw table?”

“But it’s not the same today,” Kíli said exasperatedly. “It’s Quidditch training today.”

Fíli turned to look at Kíli straight in the eyes. “As you said, it’s just Quidditch training. I don’t care what the others think. I’m not going to let a sport stand in the way between me and my friend.”

Kíli opened his mouth but nothing came out. He had never expected Fíli, who regarded others’ opinions extremely highly, to put their friendship above all other things. Words failed him again so he simply squeezed Fíli’s hand before starting his own breakfast. Inspired by his friend, Kíli was determined to ignore the others and act as normal as possible. He had thought it would have been difficult but Fíli’s presence soon made him forget everything else.

“Professor Dwalin wants to know when we want to resume our duelling lessons,” asked Fíli in a low voice and Kíli perked up immediately. Other than his friends, duelling lessons with Dwalin had been one of Kíli’s favourite things in Hogwarts. It also happened to be one of the few things he could best Fíli at. “We can start this weekend! You know what, I’ll head straight for the library and work on the essays this morning. Hopefully, we can finish the homework today. But if not, we’ve still got tomorrow morning, which means we can go to duelling lessons tomorrow afternoon.”

“Brilliant! I’ll let Professor Dwalin know after my training.”

True to his words, Kíli wasted no time in going to the library. Luckily, Ori was there too so Kíli quickly settled next to the studious Ravenclaw and started working. Checking with Ori every now and then about his Transfiguration essay, Kíli was able to finish the essay in a couple of hours. He was pleasantly surprised and impressed by Ori’s knowledge on the subject. He knew, of course, that Ori was a good student who worked extremely hard. Yet somehow he never put the bookworm Dwarf at the same level as Fíli. Ori was always the one that was easy to overlook, even to his friends.

“Why aren’t you at the Quidditch training?” Kíli asked, stretching his limbs as he put his quills down. “I saw other Ravenclaws heading for the Quidditch pitch after breakfast.”

Ori shrugged. “I’m never that into Quidditch. I know it’s popular and everything but I never see the appeal of it. I’d rather stay in the library to work or read. There are so many interesting books here that I doubt I can finish them all in seven years.”

“Right…” Kíli never understood Ori’s fascination with books. He thought he did not mind reading himself but Ori took it to a whole new level. Then again, Ori probably could not fathom why they loved Quidditch either. “What are you going to do after you’re done with homework? Are you really going to spend all the time inside? The weather is gorgeous and it won’t stay like this much longer.”

“That’s a good point,” mused Ori and his eyes lit up. “Oh, I can go and visit Professor Bilbo at the Green Houses. He’s always working there and I’m sure I can offer some help.” And Kíli quickly dropped the idea of introducing some more fun into Ori’s life.

Fíli and the rest of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team did not return to the castle until lunch was almost finished. When they walked in, they captured everyone’s attention, with their dirt-covered Quidditch robes and sweaty hairs. Some, such as Lindir, basked in the attention. Others simply ignored it all.

“How did it go?” Kíli settled himself next to Fíli and asked curiously.

“No spying at this table,” teased Lindir as he pulled a whole plate of beef wellingtons in front of him.

Fíli laughed and said, “it’s been really good actually. A lot of work though. I’m absolutely famished and I can’t really feel my arms. But it feels wonderful to have such a nice workout.”

“Was it difficult?” Kíli found it hard to keep the worry out of his voice. Sensing Kíli’s unspoken concern, Fíli gave him a comforting smile. “Don’t worry. You’ll do fine. It can be a bit overwhelming but everyone’s been extremely helpful. You know Aragorn will not let you get into trouble and Tauriel will probably kill the twins before they can get within 10 feet of you. It’s definitely worth it, Kíli. You’ll love it.”

Of course, Fíli turned out to be absolutely right. The moment Kíli walked onto the Quidditch pitch, he had forgotten about all his worries. The gentle autumn wind, the warm sunshine, the smell of the freshly-cut grass, and the chirps of the birds filled him with excitement. When Aragorn blew the whistle, Kíli mounted his broom and kicked off immediately. Unable to wait for any further instructions, Kíli flew around just to get himself warmed up. Next to him, Tauriel laughed. “Eager, aren’t we?”

Kíli smiled sheepishly and returned to his position to await Aragorn’s instructions.

“Afternoon, lads and ladies,” Aragorn smiled. “First of all, let’s welcome Kíli, our newest team member. He’s a great addition to the team and I trust you’ll all do your best to make him feel welcome.”

The whole team clapped while the evil twins wolf-whistled to show their support, which made Kíli blush. Oliver Wood’s eyes shone with such fanatical enthusiasm that Kíli swallowed hard, trying his best to fight off the urge to flee the scene, as far away from Wood as possible. Tauriel’s encouraging smile, however, put his mind to ease and Kíli smiled shyly back. 

“Okay, we’ll start the practice with some passing drills first. Now that everyone’s in position, let’s pass the Quaffle around. Keep your eyes and ears open so you don’t miss the Quaffle. Be careful about your passing. Don’t throw the Quaffle too hard, otherwise, it will knock your teammates over. But too soft a throw won’t give your teammate enough time to catch it. This is all about teamwork and getting to know your teammates. So let’s get on with it.”

Kíli waited nervously for the Quaffle. For the first several passes, however, the team did not involve him, which gave him time to observe. He noticed that the evil twins tended to throw the Quaffle a bit harder than the rest, probably because of their Beater’s background. Oliver had the longest reach and his positioning was impeccable. Tauriel was the one with the quickest reflex, managing to catch the passes that fell a bit short every time. Aragorn was the most consistent, his passing always on point.

After several rounds of passing, the team started to include Kíli into the drill. They started off with the easy passes, usually from Tauriel and Aragorn who were right next to Kíli. Those were easy enough to manage and Kíli dutifully passed the Quaffle back to them. He soon grew bolder. Eager to challenge himself, Kíli aimed the Quaffle at one of the evil twins and threw it as hard as he could.

The twin was clearly underprepared but managed to catch the Quaffle at the last minute. Smirking at Kíli, he passed the ball to his twin brother who threw it directly at Kíli.

Truth be told, Kíli’s first instinct was to duck at anything the evil twins threw at him, as any sane person would. But he knew that they had to work as a team and an inherent fear of the evil twins would not do. He, therefore, braced himself and opened his arm wide to catch the Quaffle. It hit him hard in the chest but Kíli managed to hold on to the ball. Next to him, both Aragorn and Wood gave him an approving look, which made Kíli feel elated. It seemed like he had passed the test.

After the passing drill was done, they moved on to the real practice. Aragorn divided them into two teams so they could play against each other. Kíli was on the same team as Aragorn, Tauriel, one of the evil twins, and Oliver Wood. The other team consisted mostly of reserve players, including Hamson Gamgee, last year’s Seeker. Kíli felt his anxiety coming back again. He wanted, no, needed, to prove himself worthy of being the Seeker, particularly against Hamson. 

The practice match started benignly enough. Neither team was being particularly aggressive so Kíli focused all his attention on the Snitch. He stayed high above everyone else to give himself a better vantage point over everyone and zoomed around the pitch, his keen eyes scanning every corner of the pitch, trying to locate the swift little golden ball. Ten minutes into the match, however, things started to heat up. A particularly nasty Bludger nearly knocked Tauriel off her broom, which made Kíli pause in mid-air before descending down to rush to her side.

“She’s fine, Kíli,” yelled Oliver, who maintained firmly at his position in front of the goalpost. “Get back to your position and keep looking for the Snitch. Don’t EVER get distracted during the match!”

Feeling chastised, Kíli blushed and flew back up to his original position. When his eyes caught Tauriel’s, she gave him a wink, which reassured Kíli that she was indeed fine. The match stepped up afterwards. Kíli had to dodge a couple of Bludgers sent his way while the twin on their side retaliated with some brilliant hits that nearly took Hamson and his twin brother off their brooms. 

And then Kíli spotted the little fleck of gold. It was hovering below the other evil twin’s broom, which was much closer to Hamson, who was directly above his team’s Beater. Could he beat the other Seeker? Kíli quickly made up his mind and flew downwards, not towards the Snitch, but in the opposite direction. Hamson quickly caught on and, just as Kíli had hoped, sped up towards Kíli, who slowed down slightly to allow Hamson to catch up to him. Once Hamson was close enough, Kíli did a sharp turn in mid-air and shot in the opposite direction so fast that Hamson was left behind, utterly bewildered. But Kíli paid him no mind. He had his eyes on the Snitch only. This time, however, he did allow his peripheral vision to work and managed to duck a Bludger just in time before catching the Snitch securely in his hand.

“Well done!” Tauriel was the first one to embrace him and the rest of his mini-team soon joined in. Oliver looked as if all his dreams had come true because he was opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water, struggling to find words. Aragorn patted him proudly on the back. “Really good flying and brilliant strategy! You’ll make a wonderful Seeker, Kíli!” Even the evil twin looked impressed as he gave Kíli a thumbs up and a promise of some of his free jokes products. Kíli beamed at them all. He felt so proud of himself. He was a good flyer and a good Seeker. For the first time in his life, Kíli felt a bit like a hero.

“How did the practice go?” Fíli was the first one to ask Kíli the moment he turned up for dinner at the Great Hall, along with the rest of the Gryffindor team. Despite the exhaustion and sore muscles, his legs aching from dodging all the Bludgers, Kíli could not help but give Fíli a radiant smile. 

“He was absolutely brilliant today.” Tauriel’s enthusiastic voice only added to Kíli’s joy. “He managed to catch the Snitch after just twenty minutes into the match, for his first-ever practice! And what a bit of flying that was!” she smirked at Fíli. “You lot need to watch out! Gryffindors are ready to kick your arse this year.” 

Fíli laughed while Kíli blushed. He was not sure if he really was good enough. It was one thing to excel in practice where the pressure was more or less manageable, quite another to perform in the real match. He just hoped that he would not pass out from nerves.

“I told you you’d be great,” said Fíli as he looped his arm around Kíli’s shoulder and squeezed hard. “You’re a good flyer and you’ve got the dedication that most people don’t have. I’ll be surprised if you don’t win the games for Gryffindor this year.”

“Even against Ravenclaw?” Kíli asked with a teasing smile.

“Well,” smirked Fíli, “I just need to take you out with my Bludgers then. Should be easy enough.”

After dinner, they went to the library to finish their homework. Fíli agreed to look over Kíli’s Transfiguration essay when Kíli was struggling with his Potions assignment. Thorin’s assignment was always difficult, requiring knowledge not just from the textbook, but the many reference books in the library too. Kíli’s head was hurting by the time he was done.

“It looks quite good actually,” said Fíli after reading through the essay. “I think you’re really beginning to get the hang of Potions.”

“I nearly blew up a cauldron last week.” Kíli reminded him, grimacing at the memory.

“Nearly is the keyword here,” Fíli said encouragingly. “You managed to rectify your mistake at the last minute, didn’t you? Which was much better than last year.”

That was true. Had this incident happened last year, Kíli would have fumbled terribly, which surely would have contributed to a bigger disaster. This time, however, Kíli managed to stop himself from adding more of the wrong ingredient, armadillo blood, and removed the cauldron from the fire just in time to stop the overheating of the potion. Thankfully, Thorin, who was walking by, simply raised his eyebrow but refrained from making any scathing remarks. When Kíli finally managed to salvage his potion, with the help of Fíli, of course, Thorin simply snorted and walked on.

“I definitely need more practice,” Kíli said resolutely. “Now that I’m no longer scared senseless of Professor Thorin, my brain and magic actually work in Potions.”

Fíli laughed, “I told you uncle is not unreasonable. I think he has really changed his opinion of you. If you can show him how good a potioneer you can be, he may even begin to like you.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” murmured Kíli, who had no interest in gaining Thorin’s favour, despite the elder Dwarf’s prominent position in the Wizarding World. He simply wanted to survive the magical world and hopefully belong. What better way to do it than becoming the best wizard he could? “But in any case, will you help me?”

“You don’t even need to ask,” Fíli smiled. “We can work on it tomorrow morning if you want. I’m sure uncle won’t mind if we use the dungeon.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With Quidditch practices, school work, additional duelling class with Dwalin, and extra Potions practice with Fíli, Kíli found that he barely had time to breathe. Before he realised it, it was already the end of October, which meant that the first Quidditch match of the year, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, was drawing precariously close. 

At Oliver Wood’s insistence, Aragorn had agreed to add an extra training session every week, which meant that Kíli had to forgo his Potions practice with Fíli. This came as a real blow to Kíli, partly - albeit a small one - because Kíli was making steady progress in Potions and had no wish to give it up but mostly because his time with Fíli was cut short dramatically (Fíli’s Quidditch schedule had stepped up too ahead of their match against Hufflepuff). Unfortunately, even Aragorn, their Quidditch Captain, could not argue with Oliver Wood’s maniacal enthusiasm towards Quidditch. 

“Can somebody please kill me now?” Kíli wailed as he limped into his dormitory and threw himself down on the four-poster bed, freshly showered but utterly exhausted. The session that evening had been particularly brutal. Flying in the midst of a hailstorm was no small feat. For once, the evil twins and their Bludgers were rendered almost superfluous.

“Have you been attacked by one of Professor Dáin’s beasts?” Gimli asked, half in jest, half serious, as he took in Kíli’s arms and legs that were black and blue. “You look completely battered.”

“No.” With his head buried in the pillow, Kíli’s voice came out muffled. “It’s just Quidditch practice.”

“Quidditch practice? In this weather? Is Aragorn completely out of his mind?”

“It’s Oliver’s idea,” Kíli groaned. With all his muscles stiff and his limbs bruised, even rolling overtook a monumental effort. “He insisted on training in this weather in case we have to play the match in similar conditions.”

“He’s mental,” Gimli said, his eyes wide with surprise or awe Kíli did not know.

“Join the club,” muttered Kíli. “I think the only reason why Lady Galadriel appointed Aragorn Captain is to reduce the casualty rate of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. If Oliver had been Captain, none of us would be alive to tell the tale.”

Gimli grimaced with sympathy. “Wood’s seriously delusional about Quidditch. Well, at least you’re not attacked. For a second I thought Your Highness or Bolg’s been giving you grief again.”

That pulled Kíli out of his misery. Given his insane schedule, Kíli had not paid any attention to this matter. Now that he came to think of it, both Legolas and Bolg had been strangely quiet this year. Apart from that suspicious incident on the Hogwarts Express, no further accidents had occurred. Legolas, of course, had not spared Kíli his disdained looks or snide remarks whenever Kíli was in his sight. It was so commonplace that Kíli had learnt to tune it out. Yet he had not once sabotaged Kíli in class or attacked him. He also kept his distance from Bolg, his former sidekick. 

If Legolas’s slight improvement was surprising yet understandable, Bolg’s change of attitude was simply astounding. In fact, Kíli could not recall one single incident of aggression on Bolg’s part. Had he really reformed and learnt to repent his old ways or was he simply biding his time? Wasn’t now, a couple of weeks before the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match, the perfect time to ambush Kíli if he wanted to? After all, fights and incidents between rival Houses were not unheard of before a Quidditch match and usually tolerated more than during other times.

“Bolg hasn’t bothered me at all this year,” Kíli said with a frown. “It’s strange, isn’t it? I’m not sure what he’s up to.”

“Nothing good I’m sure,” said Gimli with a shrug. “With that said, even a pea brain like him knows when to stop it. He doesn’t want to be expelled, does he? Anyway, who cares what Bolg thinks. As long as he’s not bothering us, he can do whatever he wants.”

Kíli said nothing. Gimli’s words made sense. It was what he would have done had he been in Bolg’s situation. Yet this was Bolg they were talking about. He wanted now more than ever to speak to Fíli because he knew that Fíli would find the situation irregular just like he did. Fíli would think of all the possible reasons behind Bolg’s behaviour. Fíli would come up with a really good answer. 

Unfortunately, Fíli’s schedule turned out to be as hectic as Kíli’s. They rarely see each other at mealtimes now because even those times were dedicated to Quidditch where nonstop strategy discussions took place. The next time Kíli saw Fíli was actually at Defence Against the Dark Arts class.

“How are you faring?” Fíli asked sympathetically. He himself was not looking much better. The dark circles under his eyes stood out against his fair skin.

“Like death warmed up,” Kíli cried dramatically and Fíli laughed. “But seriously, I’m knackered, I hurt everywhere, and I miss you! I really hope this Quidditch mania will dissipate after the first round of matches. I can’t keep this up much longer.”

“I miss you too,” whispered Fíli, his face slightly pink. It was soon replaced by a frown when he saw that Kíli was having difficulty sitting down. “Are you alright? Did Aragorn really work you that hard?”

“It’s Wood,” groaned Kíli after he sat down gingerly. Even his bums hurt now. “He’s officially mental or possessed or both. Gimli even thought I was attacked by Professor Dáin’s beasts or Bolg.”

Fíli stopped what he was doing to stare at Kíli. “What?”

“I know,” said Kíli. “I mean, neither Legolas or Bolg has bothered me since the beginning of the term, have they? Which, mind you, is quite strange especially for Bolg. But still…”

“No, I mean, are you sure you haven’t been attacked?”

Kíli looked at Fíli as if he had lost his mind. Of course, he hadn’t been attacked. He would have remembered! “I may be exhausted but I’m not stupid. I would’ve remembered something like that!”

“No, Kíli, you don’t understand,” said Fíli in an urgent tone. “Memories can be modified! A memory charm can erase certain parts of your memory.”

That was new information for Kíli and he was not sure if he liked that particular bit of magic. “So anyone can modify someone else’s memory? How is that legal? I mean, you can’t even protect your mind! Worst of all, you won’t even know if it’s happened to you!”

“Shhhh.” Fíli had to put his hand on Kíli’s lips to stop him from yelling. “Not so loud. It’s really not as bad as it sounds. Unless it’s been done by someone extremely skilled in memory charms, there will always be traces. You can find memory gaps or inconsistencies, which are usually a good indication that your memories have been tampered with. To use a memory charm without authorisation is, of course illegal. It can only be used under extremely special circumstances. Actually, the Obliviators from the Ministry use that quite often on Muggles who accidentally witness magic. That’s how we’ve been able to keep the Statute of Secrecy. But all those uses need to be authorised. Anyway, are you sure you haven’t been attacked? I know it’s very advanced magic and I doubt Legolas can cast it, let alone Bolg. But are there any memory gaps?”

Kíli was speechless. This felt like a real violation of human rights, Muggles or not. Before he could argue further, however, Dwalin had cleared his throat pointedly, his eyes fixed on Kíli and Fíli. So he simply said, “no. My memories are intact as far as I know.”

Once the class was over, Kíli returned to the subject immediately. “Now, about the memory charm. How can the Ministry use that on Muggles? It’s even worse than using it on wizards. At least the wizards know something’s wrong and what the possible cause is. The Muggles will have no clue! They might think they’ve lost their mind!”

“The Obliviators are extremely adept in Memory Charms,” Fíli assured him. “Their spells leave virtually no trace that the Muggles won’t even know their memories have been modified.” 

This did little to mollify Kíli. “This is still done without the Muggle’s consent! It’s still a violation of their rights. How can this be allowed?”

“Because the alternative is to expose the Magical world to the Muggles” Fíli’s voice raised with slight exasperation. “Can you imagine what’s going to happen if we don’t Obliviate the Muggles? They will tell the rest of the world of our existence. This is for our own protection.” 

“So we’re going to protect us even at the cost of the suffering of others? Are we justifying this because we think we’re better than the Muggles? You are the one who told me not to look down upon my friends back in the orphanage. Would you feel okay with it if the situation were reversed?”

Frowning, Fíli avoided Kíli’s eyes. “Well, no. I mean, I know what you’re saying. I suppose I’ve never thought about it from the Muggle’s perspective. I just thought, well, you know, it’s what we do. But what else can we do? Do you really want the Witch Hunt to happen all over again?”

The answer was obviously no. Yet Kíli still could not justify such blatantly wrong behaviours. “This doesn’t make it right though. Surely there are other ways.”

“The Ministry has tried,” said Fíli. “But this is the best solution they’ve come up with so far.”

“Well, someone clearly needs to do something about it!” Kíli said firmly. “The fact that something works doesn’t make it right!”

“I guess I agree with you now,” Fíli sighed. “Sometimes I think I’m so used to thinking only from the wizard’s or even only the Dwarf’s perspective that I lose sight of everyone else. I need to be more open-minded, just like you.”

Kíli beamed at him. He could hardly fault Fíli for his way of thinking, given his upbringing. The fact that Fíli was agreeable to such ideas was proof of his kind and fair nature.

“But now, let’s get back to the more urgent matter,” said Fíli and Kíli nodded. “What you’ve said about Legolas and Bolg got me thinking. It is strange, isn’t it, how quiet both of them have been this year? They are not even friends anymore. I suppose we’ve both been too preoccupied with Quidditch to notice that. Why? I mean, have they really changed?”

“Not that much for Legolas,” Kíli snorted mirthlessly. “His Highness still thinks I’m worse than the dirt underneath his shiny boots but what’s new here. As for Bolg, he’s certainly gone quiet. Although, we still don’t know if he’s the one who attacked you on the train.” He personally was not convinced that Bolg had repented, if the looks on the Half-Orc’s face on the train was anything to go by. He was almost certain that Bolg was the culprit behind Fíli’s attack but why had he stopped? A sudden explanation occurred to him, which was frankly terrifying. “Oh, my goodness, you don’t reckon that Bolg, you know, really likes you or something, do you?”

Fíli promptly dropped all the books he had been carrying yet he paid them no attention. In fact, he looked positively petrified. “What do you… Wait… What?”

“Okay,” said Kíli in a soothing tone. Poor Fíli, he could hardly blame his friend for his reaction. “Let’s look at what we know. Someone attacked you on Hogwarts Express and, I quote, felt you up. So it’s possible that you have a secret admirer with horrendous manners and likely questionable morals. You were certain it was a him. We know Bolg was on the train. You said yourself that you couldn’t rule him out. Now that we’re in Hogwarts, he hasn’t attacked us once, even though both of us have made the Quidditch teams and I’m playing against Slytherin this weekend. He has every reason and motivation to hex me into the next century. Yet he hasn’t done it? Why? Either he has truly learnt his lesson, which I doubt, or he’s not attacking us for some other reason. Me being your best mate seems like a good enough reason if he wants to get into your good book.”

The green shade of Fíli’s face turned into puce. “But why did he leave me in the lavatory then, if he’s really interested in me like you said? Shouldn’t he let me go? Being stuffed into a lavatory is hardly the foundation for a good relationship.”

Feeling that he really ought not to antagonise Fíli any further, Kíli refrained from commenting on the fact that Fíli had actually mentioned a hypothetical relationship between himself and Bolg. “I know it’s odd but it’s Bolg we’re talking about. He’s hardly normal, is he? Maybe he got scared and didn’t want you to find out it was him. Maybe he has a weird thing for an immobilised guy in a lavatory.” Fíli’s face changed colour again. “The point is, Bolg has no idea how to act normal around someone he’s interested in. So I wouldn’t discount the theory simply based on the fact that he’s a nutcase.”

“No,” Fíli shook his head resolutely, “I’m sure that’s not the reason. There’s got to be another explanation.” But Kíli could tell he was trying to convince himself as much as Kíli. Finally taking pity on his friend, Kíli said, “let’s not jump to any conclusions at this moment. Why don’t we just keep our eyes open for any strange behaviour from Bolg? I’m sure we’ll figure it out soon enough.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kíli's first Quidditch match and Thorin's changing mood

When Saturday finally arrived, Kíli was so sick with nerves that he could hardly move, let alone function. Gimli had to practically drag him out of the dormitory because Kíli had shown every sign of intending to burrow himself under the blanket and never come out. When he entered the Great Hall, Kíli found himself trembling from head to toe. 

“Nervous, aren’t we?” One of the evil twins smirked at Kíli as he sat down stiffly. Kíli said nothing. He was pretty sure he had lost the faculty of his voice box anyway.

“Leave him alone,” Tauriel snapped at the twin before she turned to face Kíli. “Don’t mind those gits, Kíli. It’s totally normal to feel nervous before the first match. I felt exactly the same way. Had it not been Aragorn, I would have stayed hidden in the girl’s lavatory the whole time. But once you’re out there, you’ll find that it’s not that different from practice. Here, why don’t you eat some porridge? You look a bit green.”

Grateful for the encouraging words, Kíli nodded tightly. He felt his throat constrict at the sight of the hearty porridge, which would normally wake up his appetite. He needed the energy, however, for the game, which could last all day for all he knew, given his current miserable state.

A warm hand started to rub soothing circles on his back. When Kíli whipped around to look, he saw Fíli’s smiling face and instantly felt better. Strange how Fíli could calm him down with his mere presence. His friend had chosen to honour the occasion by wearing a red and gold scarf, which complemented his golden hair.

“Are you alright?” Fíli asked gently as he passed Kíli some fresh fruit and a goblet of pumpkin juice. “There’s no need to worry. You’ll be great today. Remember all the hard work you’ve put in. I know from uncle that the Slytherins have not trained nearly as hard as you.”

Kíli smiled weakly. Even though his insides had stopped writhing, he still felt faint. “What if I mess up?” Kíli asked in a small voice. Fíli smiled. “Then you learn from your mistakes. Nobody gets it perfect the first time. Besides, can you really do worse than Hamson? He didn’t even catch the Snitch once last year and Gryffindor still won a couple of matches. I’m sure you’re going to do much better than that.”

Strangely, this relieved a lot of pressure from Kíli. He knew for a fact that he was much better than poor Hamson. So as long as he could keep his head cool and perform better than his predecessor, the Gryffindors would not be terribly disappointed. “Cheers, mate. This really helps.”

“Okay, team,” Wood’s loud voice caught everyone’s attention. Next to him, Aragorn simply rolled his eyes, giving up on reigning Wood in. “Let’s get to the changing room now. We can get ready and maybe even squeeze in some last-minute tactic discussion.”

All the team members groaned while the rest of the table laughed. “Good luck!” Fíli called after Kíli, who turned around to smile and wave at his friend. Taking a deep breath, Kíli followed the rest of the team to his fate.

To everyone’s relief, the stormy weather from the earlier part of the week did not persist. Instead, the sun was shining brightly with a cool gentle breeze, the perfect condition for Quidditch.

“Perfect weather conditions,” Wood said enthusiastically. “Now, in terms of tactics today, I’ve been thinking…” 

Kíli had quickly spaced out after that point. He felt that any more discussion about Quidditch might make him violently sick, quite literally. As much as he dreaded the match, now that he was all dressed up, Kíli could not wait to step onto the pitch for the waiting was even more unbearable. When the time had finally come, everyone rose from their seats and practically ran for the door, to tumultuous applause from the Gryffindors, as well as some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, and equally loud boos from the Slytherins.

“Captains,” Professor Bard was the referee as per usual, “please shake hands with each other.”

Aragorn and Feren Woodland shook hands civilly. The Slytherin Seeker seemed to be one of the Slytherins not disliked by members of other Houses. Today, however, Kíli wished with all his heart that the beautiful Seeker would fail. The rest of the team was decidedly less friendly. Kíli thought the two Slytherin Beaters looked like part trolls. In fact, they reminded Kíli of Bolg, which meant that they might have some Orc blood in them. Amongst the Chasers, Kíli could see the haughty face of Legolas. But Kíli could tell from the slight trembling of his hand that Legolas was perhaps just as nervous as he was, despite his arrogant exterior. When the Elf caught Kíli’s eyes, however, he merely smirked.

With the blow of the whistle from Professor Bard, all fourteen players from both teams kicked the ground hard and rose into the air. Kíli kept a close eye on Feren’s elegant frame and found that the other Seeker was doing the same. This filled him with some pride. He was the unknown, the secret weapon, the one who could change it all for Gryffindor this year. He just hoped he could deliver on such high expectations.

The first ten minutes passed in pretty much the same fashion as the last match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Gryffindor Chasers were brilliant as usual and managed to score three goals already. Legolas, on the other hand, was so nervous that he dropped the Quaffle at least twice, earning him the howling berate of the Slytherin Beaters. Even from a distance, Kíli felt he could see the embarrassed blush on Legolas’s pale face.

As the match progressed, however, Legolas seemed to have regained his bearings. His passing was more accurate and his flying excellent. Soon, one missed pass from Tauriel gave Legolas the perfect opportunity to intercept the Quaffle. Even the Bludgers from the evil twins could not deter him and Kíli watched Legolas zoomed swiftly in the air until…

“Ten points to Slytherin!” Lee Jordan’s reluctant voice could be heard in the entire stadium as the Slytherins erupted in cheers and celebration. 

Unfortunately, that goal was more than a little fluke. With his confidence boosted, Legolas played with more determination while the rest of the Slytherin team played around him. Soon, he scored two more goals, bringing the score difference to only twenty points. 

“Stop looking on and get a move on the Snitch!” Wood bellowed from the goalpost, a clear sign of his frustration and worry. Kíli shared the same sentiment. They could not win this game as easily as the year before.

Finding the Snitch was no easy task. Kíli zoomed around the pitch, his eyes wide open, trying to detect the little golden fleck, which proved elusive especially in the sun. Feren Woodland was doing the same thing, which gave Kíli a sinking feeling that he might not spot it fast enough. Unfortunately, his premonition turned out to be true. 

“Feren Woodland is accelerating, has he…” Lee’s voice made Kíli heart stop. He looked frantically around and sure enough, Feren Woodland was flat on his broom and shooting downward with such concentration on his face that it could only mean one thing: he had spotted the Snitch.

Kíli sped up immediately. He could now see the Snitch, hovering close to the ground. He was flying so fast that he could feel the wind blowing on his face, cutting his skin like tiny knives. Yet he could not afford to slow down. 

_ Whoosh _

Kíli heard the noise of the Bludger and reacted instinctively. He fell to the side of his Nimbus 2000 to avoid the Bludger just in time. When he managed to pull himself back up, he saw that Feren had narrowly missed it too. The Snitch had moved again during this interruption and Kíli raced after it. He could see the Slytherin Beaters flying towards him from both sides, intent on crowding him. Bracing himself, Kíli kept flying and made a sharp dive at the last minute, allowing the two Beaters to crash into each other and fell off their brooms. The Gryffindor stand erupted in loud laughter and cheers but Kíli paid them no attention. He had to focus on the game.

Luckily, the absence of the Slytherin Beaters meant that Kíli could pursue the Snitch without any worry. Feren, on the other hand, had no such luck. The evil twins honed in on him, sending Bludger after Bludger towards him. Despite his prestigious flying skills, Feren finally succumbed to the nonstop attack. One Bludger hit his broom so hard that he lost control of it completely, spiralling around in mid-air before dropping to the ground. 

Now that Kíli had no competition, he had the fluttering Snitch securely clutched in his hand just two minutes later.

“Kíli Durin caught the Snitch! Gryffindor won 210 to 40!”

The aftermaths of the match were complete chaos. Kíli could hardly see past the red because he was surrounded by ecstatic Gryffindors, first his teammates, then his housemates. Gryffindor had not won a Quidditch match by catching the Snitch in so long that they had turned into a bit of a joke amongst the other Houses. In addition to the excitement and adrenaline, Kíli felt overwhelmingly relieved. He had not messed up after all.

It was only when Kíli had arrived at the Gryffindor Common Room, escorted by his singing and dancing teammates, that he realised that he had yet to talk to Fíli after the match. This filled him with guilt for he knew Fíli would have tried to come to congratulate him but the hordes of Gryffindors must have blocked his access. Before he could ask Gimli if he had seen Fíli, however, the celebration party was in full swing. After Tauriel and Aragorn dragged Kíli to the centre of the makeshift dance floor, Kíli had tried valiantly to escape but failed. After an awkward dance, Kíli finally evaded the spotlight, only to find himself face to face with the evil twins, each holding a cold bubbly drink.

“Care for a butterbeer, mate?” asked one of the evil twins, most likely Elladan. 

“Er, what is it?” asked Kíli suspiciously. He would not trust anything the evil twins gave him. Last he heard, they were testing their joke products on students.

“Relax,” Elladan laughed, “we’re not going to poison our Seeker, especially after you’ve caught the Snitch. It’s just a drink. Bet you haven’t tried it but it’s tasty.”

When Kíli kept eyeing it suspiciously, Elrohir grew impatient and thrust the bottle to Kíli’s hand. “Just drink it alright. It’s not gonna kill you.”

Kíli picked up the bottle and took a tentative sip. The pleasant taste took him by surprise and Kíli soon found himself down the entire bottle. Elladan grinned at him. “Told ya, haven’t we? You want some more?”

Nodding eagerly, Kíli grabbed another bottle and savoured its creamy texture. Before he knew it, he had finished five bottles and soon found himself swaying on the spot.

“What the matter…” Kíli slurred and the evil twins laughed.

“A bit strong for a second year, isn’t it?” Elrohir’s smile was positively evil. “Come on, little Seeker. Time for us to tuck you into bed.”

Kíli wanted to protest but his head was too heavy and the room was spinning. In the end, he had to resign to his fate and let the twins take him upstairs to his dormitory. He passed out almost immediately after his head hit the pillow, thoughts of Fíli completely forgotten.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning sunshine was so bright that Kíli had to open his eyes slowly. He had no wish to wake up since his head was pounding as if someone was hitting it with a hammer and his mouth tasted as if something had died inside. Unfortunately, the noise of Gimli getting ready for breakfast was too hard to ignore so Kíli sat up sluggishly, ready to be sick at any moment.

“Oh, you’re up.” Gimli’s loud cheery voice compounded Kíli’s predicament. He groaned miserably and Gimli chortled. “You must have had quite some to drink last night. Butterbeer may not be much but for someone who’s never had it, it can be a killer.”

“Well, I feel like death warmed up,” croaked Kíli. “I never thought the twins would let me drink that much alcohol.”

“Oh, come on, it’s the evil twins we’re talking about,” Gimli laughed. “You should feel lucky they didn’t spike your drink.” He paused and thought for a moment. “Actually, come to think of it, I really wouldn’t put it past them not to spike your drink. Butterbeer’s not supposed to give you such a bad hangover.”

Kíli wanted nothing but to throw his head into his palms but refrained from doing that because he was pretty certain such sudden movements would make him sick. He should have been more cautious. Surely nothing from the evil twins could be innocent.

If it were left to Kíli, he would have happily gone back to bed to sleep the hangover out. Gimli managed to persuade him to go to breakfast, however, insisting that some food and pumpkin juice would help, especially since Kíli had hardly eaten anything since breakfast the day before. Reluctantly, Kíli trudged slowly behind an exuberant Gimli to the Great Hall.

The Gryffindor and Slytherin tables were much emptier than usual. When Kíli scanned around, he was slightly surprised to find that he was the only one from either Quidditch teams to be present. Perhaps the party was much wilder in the Gryffindor Common Room that he anticipated. As for the Slytherins, Kíli could only assume that they had decided to drown their sorrows in alcohol.

At the Ravenclaw table, Fíli was sitting next to Ori. When Kíli caught his eye, instead of the usual warm smile, Fíli simply nodded at Kíli before quickly turning away to chat with Ori. Stung by this cool reception, Kíli stopped in his tracks and stared at his friend. Was Fíli angry with him because he did not celebrate with him?

“He was trying to come to you after the match yesterday,” Gimli said in a surprisingly understanding voice. “But he couldn’t get through. I don’t think Fíli would blame you for that but he was probably expecting you to find him eventually. Not that it’s your fault. But Fíli didn’t know, did he?”

His heart sinking, Kíli made up his mind. Walking slowly to the Ravenclaw table, Kíli seated himself laboriously and carefully next to Fíli. 

“Been having a good time, haven’t you?” Fíli’s tone was decidedly cool and he was definitely avoiding Kíli’s eyes, which made Kíli want to sigh and throttle his best friend at the same time.

“Not really,” Kíli said in an even tone. “I’ve been out since yesterday afternoon. I drank some butterbeer from the evil twins. They must have spiked it.”

“Oh,” Fíli’s face turned slightly pink and he finally turned to look at Kíli. When he took in Kíli’s dishevelled state, his disgruntled look soon turned into a concerned one. “I didn’t… I thought… Are you alright?”

“My head feels like it has just been smashed against the wall. My mouth tastes as if some animals had just died in it. And my stomach has just turned into the home of a thousand wild snakes. So yeah, I feel alright.”

Fíli smiled. “At least you haven’t lost your sense of humour so I’m sure it’s not that bad.” His face turned more serious. “But I can’t believe the evil twins spiked your drinks! That’s bang out of order.”

“I think they’ve been doing that for quite a while actually,” Kíli said. Fíli passed him a glass of pumpkin juice, which he accepted gratefully. Taking a cautious sip, Kíli soon found himself parched and drank the juice heartily, which made him feel much better afterwards.

“But that’s… They can’t do that!” Fíli said. “It can be really dangerous! What if something goes wrong.”

“Elladan told me that they tested the products on themselves first,” said Lindir, making both Fíli and Kíli jump. Kíli regretted his decision immediately. “Besides, they usually only test products on their testers, not just some random victim. If they put something in your drink, it’s just a prank. You can know for sure that it’s safe and they’ve tested it already.”

“Testers?”

Lindir shrugged. “Apparently, they’ve been looking for those willing to be their guinea pigs. They usually ask younger students. The testers are paid, of course, but still, nobody in their right mind wants to test products for the evil twins!”

“They’ve never approached me,” said Kíli.

“That’s because you’re close to Fíli,” Lindir said matter-of-factly, “They know you won’t agree and most likely will tell Fíli about it, which means that Professor Thorin will likely know. You can say whatever you want about the evil twins but they’re not stupid. They want to keep a low profile on that.”

“But you’re telling me now,” Fíli frowned. “I can still tell uncle about it.”

“You’ve got no proof though, have you?” Lindir said with a smirk. “I could very well be lying to you. You’ve never seen them doing it so you can’t really punish them for something they might have done, especially given the Dwarves’ prejudice against Elves. Your testimony won’t be regarded as unbiased unless you have concrete proof.”

Fíli shook his head. “Those two are really out of line. If they keep going like this, they will get into serious trouble.”

“Arwen will keep them under control.” Lindir waved away Fíli’s concern airily. “In fact, Elladan told me that they’re not recruiting new testers anymore because they’re afraid Arwen might find out about it.”

“That’s all very well,” Kíli said, “but it doesn’t exactly solve my problem, does it?”

“Did the pumpkin juice help?” asked Lindir.

“Actually, yes. It helped quite a lot, which is strange.”

“That’s because it’s supposed to,” laughed Lindir. “I’ve told you, the twins play pranks on people. But they’re careful enough not to leave lasting damages. Most of them wear off after a while. But if it does require an antidote, it’s usually some everyday things like pumpkin juice or porridge, things that are easy to find.”

Despite his predicament, Kíli was quite impressed not only by the evil twins’ magical prowess - it was not easy to create something like that after all - but also their ingenuity and consideration. They knew where the line was and had been careful not to cross it. Perhaps he should have given them more credit.

Thanks to Lindir’s tip, Kíli felt almost human after the third glass of pumpkin juice. The worried frown on Fíli’s face had finally disappeared as he gave Lindir a grateful smile.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,” Kíli said. Now that he had ensured his physical wellbeing, he was keen to address the emotional one. “I really meant to go find you afterwards.”

“No, Kíli,” Fíli interrupted Kíli at once, “I should be the one apologising. I shouldn’t have been upset in the first place,” he scratched his head sheepishly. “I mean, you’ve won a big game and it’s a big deal for Gryffindors. Even if your drink hasn’t been spiked, you shouldn’t feel the need to leave the celebration to find me. I’ve totally overreacted. I’m really sorry, Kíli.”

Beaming at his friend, Kíli took Fíli’s hand. “There’s no need to apologise. I promise you, no matter how important the win is, I’ll always find you. You’re my best friend. I won’t neglect you for anything else.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The arrival of the new week meant that the whole school’s focus had shifted to the upcoming match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Even the Gryffindors and Slytherins were putting their match behind for the result of the weekend could seriously affect their standing in not only the Quidditch Cup but also the House Cup.

“Even if Ravenclaw wins, we still stand a good chance at winning the Quidditch Cup,” said Aragorn in the Gryffindor Common Room one day. “But if somehow Hufflepuff wins, we can definitely narrow Ravenclaw’s lead in the House Cup.” He turned to Kíli and Gimli. “How’s Fíli compared to Bain?”

That was a difficult one for Kíli, one because he was not close enough to Bain to know his Quidditch skills well and two because he was, without doubt, biased in favour of Fíli. Gimli, however, seemed to have no such problems. “Both are good flyers. Bain’s only on the reserve team so he’s not playing this year unless Cedric Diggory’s injured. But Bain’s a great strategist, which is a great addition to the Hufflepuff team off the pitch. He’s not Professor Bard’s son for nothing. I’d still say Ravenclaw is a stronger team though. So it’s really hard to say. I think it’s going to be close and it will be down to the Seekers.”

“I’m just glad we’re no longer the centre of attention,” said Tauriel. “I’m sick of using Shield Charms every time I’m near a Slytherin.”

Unfortunately, not everyone had moved on. One of the downsides of Gryffindor’s victory, as Kíli soon discovered, was that Thorin had been in such a foul mood that he was almost back to his old self. The Potions class had turned into a nightmare where Thorin yelled at Kíli, for the first time this year, when he accidentally dropped an extra piece of bat spleen into his Swelling Potion.

“Are you so clumsy that you can’t even hold onto the ingredients?” Thorin barked. “Bit ironic, isn’t it, being a Gryffindor Seeker? Do you drop the Snitch every time too? I never expect you to excel in Potions intellectually but if you can’t even do the simplest task right…”

Kíli swallowed hard. It was hardly new to him, for this was his usual treatment in Potions last year. But he thought Thorin had changed. Next to him, Fíli was furious too. When he opened his mouth to retort back, however, Kíli put his hand on Fíli’s arm to stop him. There was no need to drag Fíli into this. He could handle Thorin’s temper himself.

“Why didn’t you let me speak in class?” Fíli asked angrily once they were out of the Potions classroom. “Uncle’s remarks were completely unjustified. It’s not like you’ve ruined your potions with that extra bit of bat spleen. He’s being totally unfair.”

“I’m used to it,” Kíli shrugged. “Remember last year? I’ve had worse back then.”

“But I thought he’s changed,” Fíli practically pouted, a sight that Kíli found quite endearing. “He hasn’t done anything like that this year.”

“What can you expect?” Kíli said. “I just beat Slytherin in Quidditch. Of course, he’s not thrilled with me.”

“It’s one thing to sulk, quite another to pick on you.” Fíli pointed out fairly, the frown on his face deepening. “I can’t believe uncle would be so, I don’t know, petty. I mean, I thought he’s better than that.”

Kíli shrugged. He knew, of course, that Fíli worshipped his uncle, probably for good reasons too. He had no such attachment though and could see Thorin not through rose-tinted sunglasses but for who he truly was. Not that he was going to point this out to Fíli. It was not his business after all.

Thorin’s temper, as it soon transpired, was not directed only at Kíli as they had previously thought.

“Bloody hell,” exclaimed Gimli and everyone in the Gryffindor table looked up. It was lunchtime on Thursday, which was often quite a chaotic time as everyone was rushing to get ready for the afternoon periods. The commotion today, however, still caught everyone by surprise.

“Get your hands off me, you sodding prick!” The shouting of Elrohir rose so loudly above the din that the entire Great Hall fell silent. Kíli watched, mouth agape, as Thorin wrestled with the much taller Elrohir. It was apparent that Thorin had used some kind of spell to restrain Elrohir. The collective gasp from the Staff Table would have been comical, had the situation not been so dire.

“What, in the name of Mahal’s soggiest pants, has got into Elrohir?” Gimli’s question was on everyone’s mind for nobody even uttered a word. All eyes were fixed on the struggling Elrohir and the murderous-looking Thorin, waiting to see how this would transpire. One thing, however, was for certain: Thorin was in a towering temper.

“Professor Thorin!” Lady Galadriel was the first to react as she quickly rose from her seat to approach the scuffling couple. “Oh dear, what on earth is the matter?”

“I believe this insolent student is one of yours,” Thorin’s tone was icy cold and he was breathing hard. Fíli almost shuddered next to Kíli. “I, therefore, trust that you will hand out the appropriate punishment for his behaviour.”

“You’ve got what you deserve, you disg…”

“Okay, that’s enough.” Headmaster Gandalf’s authoritative voice stopped an almost inevitable murder. “Lady Galadriel, Professor Dwalin, and Professor Elrond, please escort Professor Thorin and Mister Imladris to the Chamber next door. I trust that this matter will be resolved with the help of all of you.”

Once all four of them had left, the buzzing and talking in the Great Hall resumed with renewed fervour. Everyone was discussing animatedly what they had just witnessed. Some, including Lindir, were switching between tables to talk to people from different Houses, trying to gather as much information as possible. 

“What do you think is that all about?” Kíli asked Fíli curiously. The other Dwarf shook his head. “I have absolutely no idea. I mean, I know uncle’s been in a foul mood for a while but I’ve never seen him this angry before. I can’t even imagine what Elrohir has done!”

“I think it has something to do with Arwen,” said Ori quietly and everyone in the vicinity turned their eyes to the Ravenclaw table. The other twin, Elladan, had just made his way to the Ravenclaw table to sit next to a clearly distressed Arwen, who was soon joined by Aragorn as well.

“I think you’re right,” Fíli said with badly concealed astonishment. “But how could Arwen get involved? I mean, she’s never been in trouble before!”

“Reckon we can go and find out?” Gimli seemed all too eagerly. Fíli hesitated. Kíli understood his concern. If this whole situation was indeed related to Arwen somehow, it would be highly tactless to approach the Ravenclaw Prefect in her agitated state.

Luckily, they needed not to resort to such means to quench their curiosity. Lindir had just finished talking to Haldir, the 6th year Hufflepuff Seeker. If the satisfied look on his face was anything to go by, he must have found out the truth.

“Lindir,” hissed Kíli when the Ravenclaw walked past their table, “come here!”

Once Lindir was seated amongst their group, he was bombarded with questions.

“Do you know what happened?” asked Fíli and Lindir smirked. “As a matter of fact, I do, Haldir was in the Potions class and they witnessed the whole thing. It was unbelievable! I never know Elrohir has the guts to do it.”

“Do what?” Kíli asked impatiently.

“He spiked Professor Thorin’s drinks with love potions,” said Lindir and the effect was immediate. Kíli dropped his fork while the rest of his friends fared even worse. Gimli’s goblet tipped over, spilling pumpkin juice all over Ori, who shrieked and jumped.

“You can’t be serious!” Fíli said in an almost pleading tone. “He couldn’t have done that!”

“Oh yes, he did,” said Lindir triumphantly. “But worse than that, I think the twins modified the love potion. The thing Professor Thorin was charmed to be infatuated with was, well, Mister Lock.”

This time, Gimli face planted directly into his soup but nobody paid him any attention. Fíli’s hand, which was holding a knife, was shaking so hard that Ori had to pry the knife from him so Fíli did not accidentally kill someone with it. Kíli, on the other hand, was beginning to think that the evil twins, or at least Elrohir, had some kind of death wish.

“So what exactly happened in Potions?” asked Ori in a timid voice, as if he was not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

Lindir laughed. “Professor Thorin came to the class with a struggling Mister Lock in his arms, which obviously astounded everyone. After he had given the instructions on the potion they were supposed to work on, instead of walking amongst the students, he just sat at his desk, patting and kissing an increasingly frantic Mister Lock. You won’t believe how many cauldrons were melted in that class!”

Okay, so Elrohir was doomed. Nobody had any questions about that. But…

“Why in the name of Mahal’s balls did Elrohir do that?” Gimli’s language would have normally elicited a reaction out of Fíli and Ori. The fact that neither bothered to even reprimand him spoke volumes of the dire nature of the situation.

“Apparently, it’s all because of Arwen,” answered Lindir, his face serious now. “I don’t know exactly what happened but Arwen was extremely upset after her Potions class earlier this week. Her eyes were all red and puffy and Aragorn would not leave her side. I asked around but the only thing people would tell me is that Professor Thorin lost his temper, again, and said some nasty things towards Arwen. You know her, she’s never been in trouble her whole life. Everybody adores her, even some of the Slytherins. So when the evil twins found out about it, they lost it completely. Well, Elrohir did anyway. You know he’s always been the more volatile one of the two. So he plotted this whole revenge against Professor Thorin for hurting Arwen.”

So that explained Arwen’s distressed state. She probably felt responsible both for Thorin’s humiliation and for Elrohir’s untimely demise.

“Isn’t that,” said Fíli hesitantly, “a bit extreme?”

“Not in Elrohir’s book,” shrugged Lindir. “We Elves take family very seriously. In Elrohir’s eyes, Professor Thorin humiliated Arwen in class. Therefore he must pay the price by experiencing the same suffering.”

“But Professor Thorin is going to kill him!” cried Kíli. “Surely this is not something worth risking your life for.”

“Nah,” Lindir waved his hand airily, “Professor Thorin will definitely be very tempted but the other professors won’t let him do that. Elrohir is Lord Elrond’s son after all. Unless Professor Thorin wants to risk waging war against Lord Elrond, he won’t do anything to actually hurt Elrohir. He’ll definitely get enough detentions to last him a lifetime but I honestly don’t think it’s a bad thing for Elrohir. It will make our lives easier too.”

“Professor Thorin is going to make Elrohir’s life a living hell,” said Gimli in an almost awed voice. Lindir, however, shook his head. “I don’t know. Sure, Professor Thorin will try. But the rest of the professors will stop him. I mean, Professor Thorin’s not exactly blameless in this matter, is he? From what I’ve heard, he was being completely unfair to Arwen. I think even his closest friends, Professor Dwalin for instance, noticed his bad temper this week and they are very concerned. I can tell. I’m sure they’re going to talk to Professor Thorin about it.”

That also explained Thorin’s sudden change of attitude towards him, mused Kíli. To be honest, he was relieved to hear that. It was not his fault after all. If Thorin would lose his temper at Arwen, of course, he was going to pick on Kíli. But now the question became, what had prompted such a sudden fit of rage inside Thorin. It could not have been Quidditch, could it? Thorin was fine last season after Slytherins lost their matches. What exactly happened this time?

“Do you think Professor Dwalin knows?” Kíli asked in a low voice. He had no wish for anyone nearby to overhear them.

“If anyone knows, it must be Professor Dwalin,” Fíli whispered back. “Do you think we should ask him?”

“I’m not asking your uncle under any circumstances, thank you very much,” said Kíli firmly. “So yeah, I think we should ask Professor Dwalin. At least I’ll know what I’m dealing with.”

After dinner that day, they made their way to Dwalin’s office. The Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was not surprised to see them. He simply sighed and waved them in.

“So,” said Dwalin after he passed both of them their tea, “yeh are here to ask about Thorin, I presume.”

“Yes!” said Kíli while Fíli nodded next to him. “We heard from Lindir about what happened in Potions with Arwen. What we don’t understand is what triggered Professor Thorin’s temper because it can’t be just Quidditch.”

Dwalin pursed his lips and eyed both of them carefully, the look in his eyes unusually cautious. Kíli swallowed but held Dwalin’s gaze with all the courage and determination he could muster. Whatever Dwalin had seen in him seemed to have satisfied the older Dwarf, for he nodded and lit his pipe. Taking a deep, long draw, Dwalin puffed away the smoke slowly before finally answering the question. “No, it is definitely not Quidditch-induced.” He put down his pipe and looked both of them straight in the eyes. “It’s the Arkenstone.”

Fíli gasped while Kíli racked his brain, trying to remember what Fíli had told him about this precious stone. “That’s the greatest treasure of Dwarves that was lost many years ago, isn’t it?”

“Indeed, it is,” Dwalin looked pleased. “Fíli’s been educating yeh on Dwarf history, hasn’t he?”

“He told me about the Arkenstone,” nodded Kíli. “So what of it?”

“Rumour has it that it’s actually hidden in Hogwarts,” said Dwalin. “When Thorin heard it, he lost it completely. The fact that he’s been looking for it in vain for so long and it’s hidden right underneath his nose is not something he particularly enjoys. What’s worse, the rumour means that others are looking for the Arkenstone too.”

“No wonder uncle’s so frantic,” said Fíli, shaking his head. “He must be under loads of pressure to find the Arkenstone before everybody else does.”

“Precisely,” said Dwalin. “Should the Arkenstone fall into the wrong hands, the consequences are too dire to even contemplate.”

Kíli frowned. He never understood the importance of such an object. Sure, it was a precious treasure passed down from generations, something that should be guarded closely. Nevertheless, it was just a stone, wasn’t it? How could it warrant this level of attention from every single Dwarf?

“Oh, Arkenstone is not just a stone,” said Fíli when Kíli voiced his question. “It is said to be a stone of great power and the source of Dwarven magic, the greatest of them all. Whoever is in possession of the Arkenstone can significantly increase their magical power. I think my great-grandfather used it during the last Wizarding War to fight against the Dark. That’s why Smaug sought after it for Sauron. Fortunately, Sauron never managed to get his hands on it. Otherwise, we would have never defeated the Dark Lord.”

Now that made a lot more sense. The concept that a magical object could enhance one’s magical ability was foreign to Kíli but he could see why Thorin and the Dwarves were so anxious to reclaim their treasure. “So are the rumours true? Is the Arkenstone really in Hogwarts?”

“We don’t know for sure, do we?” Dwalin put down his pipe and sighed in frustration. “It’s everyone’s guess really. We don’t even know the source of the rumour so we can’t verify.” He shook his head. “I honestly don’t know if I want Thorin to find the Arkenstone or not. I don’t mean that I want the Dark side to have it,” he added hastily at the horrified looks on Kíli and Fíli’s faces. “I’m just worried about Thorin. Yeh weren’t there when Thrór, Thorin’s grandfather, had the Arkenstone last time. It practically possessed his soul. Yes, it had increased his power beyond belief and the Dwarves would not have been here, had it not been for the Arkenstone. But still, he was possessed. It was all he cared about. Yeh would not see him without it for one second. Nobody, not even his closest family could bring him back.”

“Mum and uncle never told me,” said Fíli, his eyes wide.

“Of course, they haven’t. It’s not the best moment in Thrór’s life, is it? His health deteriorated rapidly after he lost the Arkenstone, which eventually caused his untimely demise. It’s something yer family’s been trying to forget.”

“And now you’re afraid Professor Thorin will fall victim to the same situation,” said Kíli and Dwalin nodded. “Thorin is like Thrór in many ways. Both are headstrong and stubborn. Nobody can deny the fact that they’re great Wizards and Dwarves, the best leader one can ask for. But they tend to obsess over things. Yeh’ve seen how hard it is for Thorin to let go of his preconceived ideas. I just worry that the Arkenstone will possess his soul like it did Thrór’s.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit, writing about Lindir and the evil twins always gives me joy lol. Hopefully I didn't get too carried away haha.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little drama before Fíli's first Quidditch match.

The rumour of the Arkenstone had weighed heavily on Fíli, for Kíli often found his friend in a rather pensive mood on Friday. In fact, Fíli was so distracted that in Herbology he almost lost control of a Mandrake, a plant with a root that resembled a human. If that was not alarming enough, it could cry, the resulting mayhem requiring all the help of Kíli, Gimli, Ori, and Bilbo to sort out.

“Thank Mahal, they’re only babies,” Ori panted after the Mandrake was safely stuffed back into the pot. “Otherwise his cries could have killed us all.”

“Thanks, guys,” Fíli muttered sheepishly. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Is everything alright, Fíli?” Once Gimli and Ori had returned to their pot of Mandrake, Bilbo leaned in closer and asked in a worried tone. When he saw the tentative look on Fíli’s face, Bilbo lowered his voice. “Is this anything to do with your uncle, Fíli?”

“No!” Fíli’s answer was a bit too quick and too loud to be entirely plausible. Bilbo, however, decided not to pursue the matter. “If you say so,” smiled Bilbo as he patted Fíli gently on the back. “If you do need someone to talk to though, I’m always here.”

History of Magic was not much of an improvement for Fíli. Luckily, no magical creatures or spells were required in the class so Fíli’s absent-mindedness caused no further trouble. By the time they had reached the Great Hall for lunch, Kíli had finally had enough.

“You can’t go on like this, Fíli!” Kíli said after they sat down at the Ravenclaw table. “You’ve got Quidditch tomorrow and you’re a Beater! You can’t play the game with your mind on Professor Thorin and the,” he looked around to make sure no one was within earshot, “Arkenstone. You must… Ouch...”

It was Mister Lock, who had been dozing off under the Ravenclaw table. Kíli figured he must have kicked the cat by accident, something clearly not appreciated by Mister Lock if the angry scratches on his leg were anything to go by. Giving Kíli a contemptuous look, Mister Lock leapt gracefully onto the bench, hissed at them, before jumping off and running for his master.

“Bloody cat’s a menace,” said Kíli, still messaging his leg. “Anyway, back to the topic. The Bludgers are no laughing matter, Fíli. You must get your game together and focus.”

Fíli rubbed his tired eyes and sighed, “I know. It’s just, I can’t believe my great-grandpa used to be possessed by the Arkenstone. I grew up hearing stories about what a great leader he was, fighting valiantly against the Dark side, saving the lives of countless Dwarves. Now it’s all turned out to be a lie.”

“It’s not a lie,” said Kíli firmly. “According to Professor Dwalin, your great-grandpa was still a brilliant leader in a most difficult time. The fact that he was possessed can’t change that.” He pushed a bowl of soup towards Fíli. “Come on, you need to eat something.”

Appetite had eluded Fíli for he was playing with his food rather than eating it. Determined to help his friend, Kíli changed tactics immediately. “Is being possessed that big of a deal? I mean, Thrór still fought against the Dark side, didn’t he? The Arkenstone even increased his power so surely it wasn’t that bad.”

“You don’t understand, Kíli,” said Fíli in a serious tone. “Being possessed is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone. It’s like you’re no longer in control of your soul. It violates the most fundamental laws of magic. The longer you’re possessed, the more of your soul you lose. In the end, you’ve got nothing but the desire for power left. We call it Dragon Sickness, something that every Dwarf fears. Now I get to learn that not only had my great grandpa succumbed to it, but uncle might follow suit too.”

For perhaps the umpteenth time, Kíli felt his lack of knowledge of the magical world. Unwilling to give up, he kept on trying. “Okay, so it’s a serious deal. But your great-grandpa never hurt anyone, did he? Besides, it’s not something you can change. As for your uncle, nothing’s happened yet. Professor Dwalin’s just worried because he’s your uncle’s best friend. I worry about you all the time even though I know that you’re probably going to be fine. That’s what friends do. I’m sure your uncle is strong enough not to be tempted.”

This did seem to cheer Fíli up and Kíli was relieved to find his friend finally eating his food properly. Feeling pleased with himself, Kíli started eating too while keeping Fíli engaged in his discussion with Lindir about Quidditch.

“We’re going to train one last time this afternoon,” said Lindir with a bravado that he might or might not feel. “Everyone’s free after the first afternoon double period. Thank Eru that Arwen booked the Quidditch pitch early enough. The Hufflepuff team could only practice tonight.”

“How do you feel about the match?” asked Kíli.

“Absolutely brilliant!” Lindir leaned back and tossed his hair back dramatically. Kíli simply raised his eyebrows and Lindir deflated eventually. “Okay, we’re pretty nervous. Hufflepuff has been unusually good with keeping their training and tactics secret this year. I know we’re a great team but I hate not knowing what to expect from the other team.”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” said Kíli, meaning every word. “Fíli’s great Beater and a wonderful addition to the team, isn’t he?”

“Oh yes, he is!” Lindir said. “He’s a natural. You should see the way he hits the Bludger. I’ve never seen anyone with better aims after just a couple of practice sessions. Do you remember our last practice, Fíli, where you almost knocked Roger Davis off the broom? Fíli?”

What transpired next almost made Kíli’s heart stop. Fíli’s silence, which Kíli originally attributed to his concern for Thorin, clearly had a different cause. His face was deathly pale and contorted with pain, making both Lindir and Kíli jump with worry.

“Wh… what’s the matter, Fíli?” Kíli could feel his voice shake when he saw large beads of sweat rolling down Fíli’s cheek. “Tell me what’s wrong! Fíli! Fíli!”

Fíli, however, could not utter a word. All he could do was to clutch his stomach and groan in agony.

“He must have eaten something strange!” Lindir said, jumping up from his seat too. “We must take him to the Hospital Wing, now.”

Relieved that someone knew what to do when his own mind had stopped working the moment he saw Fíli in trouble, Kíli followed Lindir’s lead. Each taking one of Fíli’s arms, they managed to get Fíli up with some difficulty, given their height differences. Before they could move more than a couple of steps, however, Fíli’s knee gave out completely as he crashed to the floor, writhing in pain.

“Oh no,” said Kíli frantically. “We need some help. Fíli, please stay with me.”

Fortunately, the commotion had drawn the attention of the staff. The next moment, Kíli felt Thorin push past him so hard that he almost fell, had it not been Dwalin’s helping hand. Thorin paid them no mind, however. Crouching down, he picked Fíli up as if he weighed nothing at all and strode out of the Great Hall. Trailing closely behind Thorin, Kíli had to jog to keep up.

“Are yeh alright, laddie?” Dwalin asked in a quiet, albeit panting, voice. 

“I’m fine.” Kíli honestly wished that he was not if that meant that Fíli was not hurt. “It’s Fíli I’m worried about.”

Looping an arm around Kíli both to comfort him and to help him along, Dwalin said, “don’t worry too much about Fíli. There’s nothing Oín can’t fix.”

Once they had arrived at the Hospital Wing, Oín immediately instructed Thorin to deposit Fíli to an empty bed so he could start performing diagnostic spells on the now unconscious Dwarf. This left Dwalin to ask Kíli the ultimate question. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” said Kíl, feeling utterly helpless. “Fíli’s been pretty distracted since yesterday but that was it. There was nothing wrong with him until lunchtime.”

“We were talking about Quidditch and the upcoming match during lunch,” added Lindir and both Dwalin and Thorin whipped around to stare intensely at the Elf. “Fíli didn’t say much though and by the time we noticed something was wrong, he was already clutching his stomach in pain. It must have been something he ate or drank.”

Exchanging a quick look with Thorin, Dwalin nodded. After giving Kíli’s arm a reassuring squeeze, he strode out of the Hospital Wing.

“Where’s Professor Dwalin going?” asked Kíli.

“To go back to the Great Hall to make sure nobody touches Fíli’s food and drink,” said Thorin gruffly. He sat next down heavily next to Fíli’s bed with all his attention focused on his nephew.

“So that nobody else will get hurt?”

Thorin gave Kíli an appraising look before answering. “Yes, and to make sure nobody’s going to destroy the evidence.”

“You think Fíli’s been poisoned?” Lindir’s eyebrows were in danger of disappearing from his handsome face. “In the Great Hall?”

“What other explanations are there?” said Thorin. “Dwarves are extremely hardy. We rarely get illnesses that plague other races. I’ve never seen Fíli ill before, especially from food. Somebody must have tampered with his food or drink.”

“Maybe it’s the cook?” said Kíli tentatively. Both Thorin and Lindir shook their heads.

“House Elves can’t poison Hogwarts students and staff members,” explained Lindir, which did little to clear Kíli’s confusion. “House Elves?”

“Of course,” Lindir smacked his forehead, “you didn’t know. Right, House Elves are magical creatures born to serve wizards. They’re magically bound to the wizards they serve, which is Hogwarts and all its residents in the case of Hogwarts House Elves. They simply cannot hurt anyone in Hogwarts.”

“So,” said Kíli slowly as he tried to wrap his mind around this new concept, “they’re basically slaves for wizards?”

Lindir looked slightly uncomfortable but Thorin seemed to have no moral qualms over this issue. “They’ve been specifically created for this purpose. It’s in their blood. In fact, one can argue that’s their life purpose, which gives them great satisfaction and happiness.”

The only thing Kíli could do in response to this was to stare. “But that’s not fair! How can you enslave a whole other species? They can think and feel just like we do, can’t they? So how can we justify forcing ourselves on their lives, binding them magically to us without even giving them a choice? That’s, that’s wrong.”

Thorin rose from his seat and strode towards Kíli. Despite Thorin’s height, which was impressive for a Dwarf, strong build, and the scowl on his face, Kíli stood his ground and stared defiantly back. He could feel Lindir fidgeting next to him but he was not going to back down from this.

“Do not speak of things you understand little about,” hissed Thorin, his face dangerously close to Kíli’s. “Your knowledge of the Wizarding world is so woefully limited that it shocks me sometimes. House Elves have been serving wizards since the beginning of time. You may stand here and argue your point, looking all righteous and noble. But the truth remains that you’re reaping the benefit of their service as much as anyone else. You have your food cooked and dormitory cleaned by none other than the House Elves in Hogwarts. When you were in Erebor, did you think your food simply magically appeared when my sister wasn’t cooking? Even your precious father, Frerin, owns at least two House Elves. So don’t stand here and lecture me on the rights of House Elves when your best friend’s life is in danger. It doesn’t make you noble. It just makes you a hypocrite.”

Kíli opened his mouth and closed it. No matter how much he wanted to argue the point further with Thorin, he had to concede that Thorin made a couple of fair points. With Fíli out cold and possibly fighting for his life, the morality of House Elves was hardly his top priority. The fact that his father owned House Elves had confounded him, for it was so drastically different from what he had heard about his father. Was there some aspect of the topic that he was truly ignorant of?

“Now, if you could both refrain from shouting in my Hospital,” Oín’s angry voice had silenced Thorin and Kíli more effectively than anything else, “I do have a patient to attend to.”

“How’s Fíli?” asked Kíli anxiously.

“Still alive,” grunted Oín. With a wave of his wand, he summoned several vials of differently-coloured liquid. Thorin’s eyes snapped to the vials immediately.

“Antidotes for common poison?” asked Thorin. “So Fíli’s indeed been poisoned.”

Oín nodded. “That’s what I’ve suspected and my spells only confirmed that.” He pushed open Fíli’s mouth and poured the contents of the entire vial down his throat. “It’s nothing to worry about. In fact, I’m surprised that his attacker is so, er, gentle.”

“What are you talking about?” Kíli thought Oín had finally lost his mind, along with his hearing. How could a poison be gentle?

“Fíli’s attacker didn’t choose any lethal poison. Otherwise, the lad would not live to tell the tale. Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s still a poison and it’s still going to keep him out of action for a good several hours. But with an antidote, he would be on his feet before the end of the day today. It seems like whoever poisoned him isn’t trying to seriously hurt him.”

“Maybe it’s Quidditch-related,” said Lindir thoughtfully. “If they just want to stop him from playing, they’d pick something mild, wouldn’t they?”

Now that made sense, except Kíli found it hard to imagine the Hufflepuffs resorting to such measures. If Fíli were playing against Slytherins, Kíli would not hesitate to investigate this theory, something he was wise enough not to mention in front of Thorin. The Hufflepuffs, however, are different. They are, for lack of a better word, the most laid-back House. While Gryffindors pride themselves on their courage, Ravenclaws on their intelligence, and Slytherins on their cunning and resourcefulness, Hufflepuffs are happy to simply be who they are. They are the most well-liked House in Hogwarts and almost everyone could name at least several Hufflepuffs they are friends with. Their Head of House, Professor Bilbo, was the prime example of a warm, kind, and mild-mannered Hufflepuff. How could someone like this poison Fíli?

“It is a possibility,” said Thorin but Kíli could tell there was little conviction in his voice. “But we must not overlook other lines of inquiries. Perhaps Fíli was attacked because of who he is. It could be a warning of what is to come.”

From Lindir’s perplexed look, Kíli could tell that he found Thorin’s message cryptic. Kíli, on the other hand, understood it perfectly. Thorin was alluding to the rumour about the Arkenstone, which was entirely plausible too. Was that why the poisoning happened in the Great Hall, where Thorin could witness it firsthand? Was this meant as a warning message for Thorin, to tell him not to pursue the Arkenstone lest he wanted his nephew and heir to suffer?

“I’ve got everything Fíli’s touched,” Dwalin’s voice brought Kíli out of his musings. When he turned around, he could see his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor walking into the Hospital Wing with several plates and a goblet levitated in the air. Following closely behind him was the rest of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” Thorin and Dwalin had disappeared into Oín’s office while the Ravenclaw team congregated next to Fíli.

“Is he alright?” asked Arwen with tears in her beautiful eyes. Kíli nodded. “Mister Oín reckons he’ll be fine. He’s just given him the antidote. He said it’s not a lethal poison and he should make a full recovery.”

“Can he play tomorrow?” asked Roger Davis, the Ravenclaw Chaser. Arwen gave him a reproachful look. “Fíli’s just been poisoned. Of course, he’s not going to…”

“I’ll be fine by tomorrow.” Fíli’s weak voice made everyone jump. Rushing to his bedside, Kíli bent over to inspect his friend closely. Fíli still looked very pale but he did manage to sit up on his own, refusing Kíli’s help. Once he was properly seated, he continued, “I’m not feeling great at the moment but I’m sure Mister Oín can fix that. Once I rest more today, I’ll be fit for tomorrow’s match.”

“Don’t be obtuse, lad.” Oín’s angry voice saved further argument from Kíli because frankly, he had to agree with Oín. “You might be able to recover today if you’re lucky. But you’re in no fit state to swing a Bludger Bat tomorrow, let alone get hit by a Bludger.”

“But I can’t stay here!” cried Fíli. “Ravenclaw’s got no reserve Beater. I have to play.”

“Oín’s right.” Thorin had just come out of Oín’s office with Dwalin and he looked displeased. “No matter how benign this poison may seem and yes, we did confirm it was poison,” he addressed to the room at large. “It’s been added to Fíli’s pumpkin juice but we’ve found no magical signature or trace to indicate who had placed it there, it was still poison and your body needs time to recuperate. You cannot go and play Quidditch tomorrow in this state.”

“Then Ravenclaw will be doomed,” said Fíli, colour rising on his cheek. “I know I’m taking a risk but I have to. I can’t simply let my team go out there without a proper Beater. I don’t abandon my team in times of need.”

“You’re not abandoning us, Fíli,” said Arwen. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Someone despicable has just poisoned you! Surely you can’t go and…”

“So I’ll just sit back and watch you get beaten then?” asked Fíli angrily. “Because it will happen. Hufflepuff is good and they are even better now that they’ve got Bain on the team. We can’t afford to lose this match.” He turned to Thorin pleadingly. “Please, uncle, I know how I feel and I will be fine tomorrow. You’ve got to take the risk sometimes, haven’t you? You did that for us in the last Wizarding War. Surely you understand.”

“Come on, lad,” said Dwalin in exasperation. “This is different. That was war. This is just Quidditch.”

Fíli kept his gaze locked with Thorin’s, who was silently appraising his nephew. Finally, after a good two minutes, Thorin nodded. “Fine, you may play tomorrow if you recover fully tonight. But…” he raised his voice at Fíli’s excited look, “I’ll be there to watch the match, just in case something happens.”

Fíli looked shocked. “But uncle, you never show up to matches that don’t involve Slytherin. And I know you’re busy, especially now.”

“I might be busy,” said Thorin, “but you are far more important than anything else. I am going to watch the match tom…” He suddenly stopped mid-sentence and his whole body tensed up. Dwalin shot him an alarmed look. “What’s the matter, Thorin?”

“I think,” said Thorin slowly, his voice low but dangerous, “someone’s trying to break into my office.”

“What?” cried Dwalin but Thorin held up a hand to silence his friend. After a few tense seconds, he finally relaxed. “The ward has done its job and stopped the trespasser.” He turned to Fíli again, “I’ll be at the match tomorrow to make sure nothing happens to you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must go and inspect my office. Get some rest and be a good patient so I don’t regret my decision and change my mind.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Due to his condition, Fíli spent the night in the Hospital Wing, where he had to endure the disapproving looks of Oín. Normally, Kíli would have felt some sympathy for his friend. Not this time. He still could not understand Fíli’s insistence, especially after Fíli had lost his temper at him for being reckless in his tryout.

“I’m not being reckless,” said Fíli when Kíli brought him dinner that night. “I made the decision based on logical reasoning. I know I can recover tonight, which turns out to be true because I’m feeling absolutely fine now. I know the Ravenclaw team’s situation. And I need to prove myself, both to my team and to uncle. I know that I may not be 100% match ready and my performance may suffer. It’s a risk I’m willing to take because my team will forgive me given what has happened. But if I do help the team win, I will earn the respect of my team and my fellow Dwarves.”

“But you could get yourself killed by a Bludger!” Kíli wished he could knock some sense into Fíli’s sometimes incredibly thick skull.

“No, I won’t,” smirked Fíli confidently. “The only thing that might be affected by this poisoning is my strength. My agility and reflex will be sharp as ever, which means that, worst-case scenario, I can simply dodge the Bludger. So you see, I’ve thought it through carefully.”

Kíli sighed. He knew how stubborn Fíli could be. The fact that he had Thorin’s approval only made it worse, which meant that he was fighting a losing battle. The only thing Kíli could do at that point was to pray to whatever Gods out there that Fíli would survive the next day without losing too many limbs.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the next morning finally arrived, Kíli could hardly wait to get to breakfast. When he walked into the Great Hall, it was with a sense of trepidation for he did not know if Fíli would be fully recovered to be there. Luckily, he spotted the mop of blonde hair in the Ravenclaw table wearing the blue and bronze Quidditch robes. Rushing to Fíli’s side, Kíli greeted his friend eagerly.

“Morning, Fíli! How are you feeling?”

“Honestly,” Fíli laughed, “I’m fine. Everyone really should stop fussing over me.” As if to prove his point, Fíli picked up a large sausage and stuffed it whole into his mouth. Kíli could not help but giggle. “We’re just concerned. But at least your appetite has returned.”

“Absolutely,” mumbled Fíli, which was quite a feat given the sheer volume of food in his mouth, “I’m simply ravenous, which means I’m more than fully recovered.” He looked slightly annoyed now. “But uncle still insists on going to see the match. No matter what I say, I can’t change his mind.”

Kíli happened to agree with Thorin fully on this matter. “Professor Thorin’s concern is not unfounded. Someone has tried to poison you. Who knows what they’ll do when you’re up in the air with Bludgers zooming around you. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“But uncle’s got some more urgent business to take care of,” said Fíli. “He still hasn’t identified the intruder to his office yesterday. I asked him this morning. What if the same person tries to break in again while he’s away watching the match?”

It was a valid concern, Kíli had to admit. In his opinion, however, the ransacking of Thorin’s office was nothing compared to Fíli’s safety. Fortunately, Thorin seemed to share the same priority. “Nothing is going to happen, I’m sure. Your uncle is a very powerful wizard so I reckon the ward he’s set up is pretty strong. He’s probably already reinforced it after yesterday’s failed attempt. It will hold the intruder off until the match is over.”

Fíli sighed. “I hope so. I just have a bad feeling about it. I fear that this is all about,” he looked around carefully and lowered his voice to a whisper, “the Arkenstone.”

His mind working extra hard, Kíli tried to piece the puzzle together. Did someone poison Fíli on purpose so they could get Thorin distracted in the Hospital Wing, which gave them the opportunity to break into Thorin’s office? Were they hoping to have a second go today during the Quidditch match? “But the,” he mouthed ‘Arkenstone’, “is not in Professor Thorin’s office, is it? So even if his office is broken into, the intruder can’t gain anything, can they?”

“That is true,” said Fíli slowly. “But it’s still worrying, isn’t it? Someone’s taking this rumour so very seriously that they’d risk uncle’s wraths and retribution.”

“Who do you think it can be?” Kíli asked curiously. He simply could not imagine any student foolish enough to attempt something like that. Nobody dared to evoke Thorin’s wraths like that. Well, except...

“It must be some very Dark wizard,” said Fíli, his brows furrowed. “Who else will seek the Arkenstone right under uncle’s noses? Everyone knows how important the Arkenstone is, especially to the Dwarves, not to mention its potential danger. Only a Dark wizard would seek it for its power.”

This was not exactly what Kíli had in mind. Surely you would not find some serious Dark wizards in Hogwarts. Outside of the castle, maybe. But never in Hogwarts.

“I don’t know,” Fíli said darkly. “There are quite a few Orcs, mostly in Slytherin, that come from very Dark families. I won’t be surprised if some of the older students are stupid enough to think that they’ve learnt enough to best uncle at this.”

Kíli, however, had a different idea. “What if it’s done as a joke?”

Fíli nearly choked on his pumpkin juice. “You’re joking! Who in their right mind is mental enough to prank uncle on such an important matter? Not even the evil twins will…” he suddenly stopped and Kíli knew he was thinking along the same line. “I see what you’re saying…”

“It’s possible, isn’t it?” Kíli was more excited now. “Especially since what had happened between Professor Thorin and the evil twins. They’re loyal enough to want revenge and reckless enough to think they can get away with it.”

“But this is no small joke. This is serious. Besides, uncle would have recognised the twins’ magical signatures if they were the culprit.”

“Magical signature?”

“You know that you can Sense the magic of inanimate objects now? All proper witches and wizards have their magical signatures. The more powerful wizards like uncle can detect that in the magic that they’ve used.”

So it’s a bit like fingerprints in Muggle detective shows, thought Kíli. Before he could offer this insight, however, Arwen, the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, had risen from her seat. The rest of the Ravenclaw team soon followed suit. It was time for the match.

“I’ll keep an eye on the stands, particularly the Slytherin and Gryffindor ones, during the match,” said Kíli hastily to Fíli, who was leaving with his team. “You just focus on the match. Good luck!”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The majority of the school had turned up for the Quidditch match. But not everybody. Kíli noticed that the turnout was less than their match against Slytherin. He wondered whether the animosity and rivalry between the Houses contributed to it or not. Ravenclaw against Hufflepuff lacked that drama factor, which might explain why half of the staff were missing. Thorin and Dwalin were present, however, most likely for Fíli’s sake. Elrond and Bilbo turned up, of course, given that they were the respective Heads of House of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Despite the match, they were extremely friendly with each other. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff stands were full with lots of commotion of people cheering their own players and booing the other team. Some more fanatic Quidditch fans from Gryffindor and Slytherin made up the rest of the audience, including all players from both teams. Legolas’s blond hair and haughty face were visible even from a distance. His eyes, however, were fixed on Fíli.

Perhaps his suspicion was simply getting the better of him, but Kíli found himself instantly alert. Why was Legolas fixating on Fíli? He was not the only one on the Ravenclaw team. Did Legolas perhaps know something? Was he the one responsible for Fíli’s poisoning and Thorin’s office break-in? That would fit with the nondescript magical signature theory as Legolas was too young to have a unique one. He knew that Legolas’s family was not exactly Dark but Legolas was friends with Bolg and certainly no angel himself. 

Speaking of Bolg, the half-Orc was also present in the Slytherin stand, next to some older Slytherin students. Kíli now realised how difficult it would be to keep an eye on the students. There were too many of them and he did not even know who to watch out for!

With these thoughts circling in his head, Kíli found it very hard to concentrate on the match. He found his eyes frequently straying to the Slytherin stand to check if Legolas was still there. He did not even know if he wanted the Slytherin Elf to be there. But regardless of Kíli’s wish, Legolas stayed resolutely in the Slytherin stand, seemingly focused on nothing but the match.

“Merlin’s beard!” Gimli’s exclamation brought Kíli’s attention back to the match just in time to catch the appearance of the Golden Snitch. Both Galion Mirkwood and the Ravenclaw Seeker, a pretty girl of Man with raven hair, had spotted the Snitch and were almost neck in neck in their race to the Snitch.

_ Wham! _

A well-aimed Bludger from Fíli hit the broomstick of Galion Mirkwood hard, sending the Hufflepuff Seeker tumbling down a good 100 feet until he regained control of his broom. By the time he was back in the race, the match was already over. The Ravenclaw Seeker had the Snitch securely enclosed in her hand.

“Ravenclaw won the match 300 to 110!” Lee’s loud voice was barely audible over the cheering and shouting from the Ravenclaw stand. Next to Kíli, Gimli cursed softly but Kíli paid him no mind. He was jumping up and down and dancing like a Ravenclaw because he was simply overjoyed by Fíli’s performance. Not only did his best friend survive the match without hurting himself, but he also played a critical role in Ravenclaw’s victory. 

“Come on,” Kíli tucked Gimli’s sleeves eagerly, “let’s go find Fíli!”

“Why should I go and congratulate the enemy?” grumbled Gimli reluctantly.

“You can’t be serious!” said Kíli incredulously. “This is Fíli, our Fíli! How can we not go and congratulate him?”

Gimli sighed. “I know he’s our friend and, don’t get me wrong, I am happy for him. I just don’t like the fact that Ravenclaw won. They’re our biggest competitor, not only in the Quidditch Cup but also the House Cup. I had hoped Hufflepuff would win.”

Kíli stared. He had no idea what to say. On one hand, he understood Gimli’s rationale. Despite the friendly relationships between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, they were still competing against each other. Yet somehow, Kíli could not imagine seeing Fíli as just a Ravenclaw. Fíli was his best friend and nothing about his House could change that.

“I’m going to see Fíli no matter what,” said Kíli resolutely. “He wanted to come and see me after I won the match for Gryffindor. He didn’t mind that then. I’m going to do the same.”

Gimli looked slightly sheepish now. “Right, I suppose it can’t hurt to just say congratulations to him, can it? I’m not going to go to the Ravenclaw Common Room to celebrate with them though. I reckon I’ll probably crash the party.” He looked very serious and Kíli could hardly argue with him. He doubted the Ravenclaws would want a couple of Gryffindors in their Common Room celebrating with them anyway. “Sure, we’ll just catch Fíli and then go.” Yet even as he said it, Kíli felt strangely alone. He was so used to spending pretty much all his time awake in Hogwarts with Fíli that missing out on such an important moment of Fíli’s life was something he could not stomach easily.

“We better hurry then,” said Gimli, “We’ll miss them otherwise.”

As they hurried towards the mob of singing and dancing Ravenclaws, they were waylaid by a smirking Legolas, who was coming from the Slytherin stand. “Eager to meet your friend, aren’t you? I’m surprised he’s still alive and kicking after the scene he created in the Great Hall yesterday.”

Truth be told, Kíli had temporarily forgotten about Legolas. The Slytherin’s provocation, however, brought his suspicion back to surface. “Fíli’s fine and unless you haven’t noticed, he’s the hero of today’s match,” said Kíli coolly while watching Legolas’s reaction closely. Perhaps if he probed the Slytherin in the right way, he might let something slip.

“I suppose one lucky hit makes one a hero now, doesn’t it?” smirked Legolas. “But then again, if you’re Thorin Oakenshield’s nephew and heir, anything you do can make you a hero.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Gimli angrily.

“Nothing,” said Legolas as he flipped his long silky hair back in a theatrical manner. While Lindir made the gesture look theatrically endearing, Kíli simply wanted to punch Legolas’s pretty face. “Simply an observation. We’ll see how he fares when he plays the real team.”

“And I suppose that means your brilliant team,” Gimli’s voice was dripping with sarcasm, “a team that lost to us, Your Highness?”

Legolas’s pale face turned slightly pink. “We just had some bad luck but we’ll bounce back. You wait and see!” He took a deep breath as if to control his temper. “Well, I will not delay you any further then.”

“Where are you going?” The moment the question was out of his mouth, Kíli regretted it. Just as he expected, Legolas roared with laughter. “As if I’m going to tell you two dunderheads!” With that, he walked away, leaving both Gimli and Kíli seething on the spot.

“That arrogant, disgusting little piece of shit!” Gimli was breathing so heavily that Kíli was concerned about his health. “He’s got it for us and oh, how I want to pay him back for everything he’s done to you.”

Kíli said nothing. This little encounter did little to remove his suspicion on Legolas. It was, however, not something he wished to discuss with Gimli, especially since the topic of the Arkenstone was top secret. He did not want to be the one to betray Thorin’s trust.

It took them a while to part though the hordes of Ravenclaw students congregated around their team. Some of the team members were clearly enjoying the attention. Lindir looked even more flamboyant than usual when surrounded by a group of simpering girls, as he waved his hands around while recounting his best goals in a dramatic voice. Luckily, Fíli displayed no such desire. In fact, he looked relieved when Kíli and Gimli approached him.

“Thank Mahal, you’re here,” said Fíli as he dodged a first-year Dwarf girl. Kíli and Gimli sniggered. “It’s a madhouse here.”

“Are you sure you want to be rescued?” Gimli teased mercilessly. “I’m sure that little witch would love to spend some lovely time with you.”

Fíli scowled at him. “Oh, shut it, you git.”

“Gimli’s right.” Kíli could barely contain his grin. “She is very lovely indeed.”

“Not you too! I never laughed at you when you’re in trouble.”

That was quite true, which brought a big smile to Kíli’s face. “Fair enough. Come on, let’s find somewhere quiet and sane.”

Once they were out of the crowd (Kíli had to use his height and Gimli’s width to block Fíli from view), Kíli turned to his best friend. “Congratulations, Fíli! You did so well today! That was one wicked Bludger!”

Fíli beamed at him. “Thanks. I suppose I did alright.” 

“You did brilliantly, mate,” Gimli thumped Fíli hard on the shoulder. “Just don’t do so well when you play us. Go get a concussion before the match or something.”

Fíli laughed. “I can’t make any promises, Gimli.”

“A bloke can dream. Actually, we’ll just ask Kíli to tail you!” Gimli said with a triumphant smile. “Surely you won’t have the heart to send a Bludger his way.”

Both Fíli and Kíli stared at Gimli. Now that Gimli had mentioned it, Kíli felt kind of stupid for not having thought of this scenario. They were on different teams now so when they did play against each other, Fíli would be obliged to hit him with as many Bludgers as he could manage. This did not feel right at all though. One look at Fíli told Kíli that his friend was thinking exactly the same thing.

“Blimey,” cried Gimli, “please don’t tell me this is the first time that you’ve realised you’re playing against each other! I mean, honestly!”

“Well, we just,” said Kíli defensively, “well, we’ve never thought about it.”

Gimli shook his head in disbelief but before he could say anything more on the topic, they were ambushed by the Ravenclaws who had realised that they were one member short and thus determined to reclaim their Beater. Looking helplessly at Kíli, Fíli could do nothing but be dragged by his housemates to their Common Room.

“I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast,” shouted Kíli. “I have something important to discuss with you.” And he wished with all his heart that Fíli had heard him as his friend disappeared into the sea of blue and bronze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always found the existence and thus the moral implications of House Elves fascinating. I can't imagine someone like Kíli not to be appalled by this.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Kíli discovered the reality of House Elves, something quite unexpected happened.

When Kíli did see Fíli the next day, he was not exactly surprised to find his friend slumped on the table with his head resting on his arms, clearly suffering from a hangover. Smirking, Kíli approached the Ravenclaw table as per usual.

“Morning, sunshine,” chirped Kíli, which made Fíli look up and groan. “Don’t you look dashing today!”

“Shut it, Kíli,” said Fíli weakly, his face pale and his eyes barely open, “I only woke up early to meet you so the least you can do is to show me some solidarity.”

Kíli laughed. “How much did you have to drink last night?”

Fíli shook his head but stopped immediately. Kíli guessed the head movement was unwise in Fíli’s current state. “I didn’t exactly keep count. Let’s just say it’s enough to drown a small army.”

Passing Fíli a cup of pumpkin juice, Kíli watched his friend drink in silence. He was not sure if now was the right time to discuss Legolas with Fíli. If Fíli’s brain had been addled with alcohol, perhaps his judgment would be impaired too.

“What is it that you want to discuss with me?” asked Fíli after two glasses of pumpkin juice, which finally brought some colour back to his cheek and made him look remarkably more human. Deciding to take a chance, Kíli told Fíli everything that happened during and after the Quidditch match the day before.

“So,” said Fíli slowly, “you’re saying that Legolas was at the Quidditch match the whole time?”

“As far as I can tell,” nodded Kíli. “The Slytherin Stand was actually quite full. Bolg was there too, along with some older Slytherins. I tried to keep an eye on the Stand the whole time but, you know, I had to watch you play.”

Fíli beamed at him before saying thoughtfully, “Even so, I doubt he could easily get out of the Quidditch pitch and get back. I think we can safely assume that Legolas or anyone in the Slytherin Stand for that matter, was not trying to break into uncle’s office during the Quidditch match yesterday.”

No matter how much Kíli wished to deny the statement, the evidence seemed too solid to dispute. Not willing to give up, Kíli tried for another angle. “Maybe he asked someone else to break into Professor Thorin’s office, an upperclassman perhaps. Maybe he asked a Slytherin to transform into him. I’m sure Lady Galadriel mentioned something like this in Transfiguration.”

“No, she didn’t,” deadpanned Fíli, though Kíli felt that he could sense Fíli’s urge to roll his eyes. “Anyone who has paid any attention in Transfiguration will know that transforming one person into another exactly the same way requires extraordinary skills that few wizards possess, let alone a Hogwarts second-year. There’s also the issue of voices. Does Legolas sound like himself to you?”

Kíli thought for a moment and had to concede that the Legolas who confronted him after the match looked, acted, and sounded exactly like the unpleasant Slytherin. “Isn’t there any other way to impersonate someone else?”

“There is,” said Fíli slowly. “The Polyjuice Potion allows the drinker to transform into someone else for a given period of time. But,” he raised his voice when Kíli looked excited, “it is a very advanced Potion that only N.E.W.T. students can brew, not to mention that some ingredients can only be found in uncle’s personal stock. As far as I know, nobody has managed to get their hands on that yet.”

Feeling deflated, Kíli groaned, “so the impersonation theory is out.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Could Legolas have asked someone else to break into Professor Thorin’s office?”

“It is a possibility,” said Fíli, frowning. “But we can’t know that for sure, can we? Does Legolas trust anyone else enough to do that now that he’s distanced himself from Bolg? How can we even prove it? Was uncle’s office breached during the match at all? We’ve simply got too many questions to answer before we draw any conclusion. I know you don’t like Legolas…”

“It’s got nothing to do with that,” cried Kíli indignantly. 

Fíli sighed and rubbed his temple. “You may not want to admit it but it’s influencing your judgement. That’s what happened last year. Besides, why does Legolas want to steal the Arkenstone? He might be a prick but he’s not necessarily dark. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Nothing so far makes sense,” muttered Kíli. “Legolas doesn’t make any sense. So who knows.”

“I’ll talk to uncle later today,” said Fíli resolutely. “Until then, let’s not speculate any further.”

They spent the rest of the morning working on their homework in the library, which took them longer than usual because of Fíli’s hangover. As a result, they had to skip their afternoon duelling practice with Dwalin, partially because any major movement could still cause Fíli to be sick.

“I’ll go and find uncle now,” said Fíli. “Are you alright on your own to finish the Potions essay?”

Kíli grumbled unintelligibly. His brain felt like jelly after working on his Potions essay for a good two hours. Fíli patted him sympathetically on the back before leaving the library.

Once Fíli was out of sight, Kíli got up from his seat and stretched leisurely. He felt drained from his Potions essay and decided that a mini-break was in order. Strolling around aimlessly amongst the aisles of books, Kíli would stop by every now and then to check out a book that caught his eye. None of them, however, managed to hold his attention and he soon arrived at the Restricted Section. 

“Not here, lad,” Dori’s voice made Kíli jump. Spinning around, Kíli found himself face to face with a serious-looking Library.

“Sorry, MIster Dori,” said Kíli, “I wasn’t planning to get into the Restricted Section.”

“Good,” said Dori sternly, stepping between Kíli and the entrance to the Restricted Section to block Kíli’s paths, “because it’s off-limits to younger students for a good reason. The magic in those books is way too advanced and dangerous for those who are not N.E.W.T. students.” If the disapproving look on Dori’s face was anything to go by, Kíli had the strong suspicion that the Librarian secretly disapproved of having those books for even N.E.W.T. students.

“I’m just a bit bored,” said Kíli with a sheepish smile. “Do you have any book recommendations, anything easy and fun to read?”

This seemed to put Dori in a good mood for he nodded eagerly and started walking quickly to get the books. Trotting behind him, Kíli wondered what kind of books the librarian would recommend. He hoped that it was something interesting. He was not such a bookworm like Fíli and Ori after all.

“Let’s see, if you’re interested in magical creatures, here’s a book on the sightings and tales of magical beasts. Some of them may or may not be real so I wouldn’t trust the anecdotes 100%. If you like adventure stories, here’s some Gilderoy Lockhart books, always entertaining. But if you’re looking for something closer to home, here’s one about myths and stories of Hogwarts. It’s definitely less credible than  _ Hogwarts, a History _ . But I’d give it full marks for entertainment value.”

They all sounded interesting enough. “How many can I borrow?” asked Kíli.

“Two at a time,” said Dori. “I can save the third one for you if you want.”

This proved to be an easy choice for Kíli as he had had enough experience with Dáin’s monsters to last him a lifetime. So he picked up the Hogwarts history book and one of Gilderoy Lockhart’s books and went back to his seat. After much debate, he decided to start on the Hogwarts one, for he had always been fascinated by the school. Balin did an excellent job in his History of Magic class but Kíli felt that there were many areas of Hogwarts not explored properly. Besides, the Gilderoy Lockhart book was too long and Gilderoy Lockhart himself looked like a sleazy and more unlikeable, if that is possible, version of Legolas if his winking pictures on the front cover of the book was anything to go by.

“Kíli? Kíli!” Fíli’s call finally made Kíli look up. He’d been so absorbed in the Hogwarts history book that he had completely lost track of time. 

“What are you reading?”

“Oh, Dori gave me this wonderful book about some lesser-known facts and myths of Hogwarts!” said Kíli. “Did you know what Helga Hufflepuff was the one who recruited the House Elves to work in Hogwarts over a thousand years ago? I can’t believe it! I thought it was done by someone evil like Salazar Slytherin.”

Fíli rolled his eyes but he did not sound angry. “So you haven’t finished your Potions homework? Figures. Well, Helga Hufflepuff did what she thought was the best thing for the House Elves. Not all the wizarding families treat their House Elves nicely, particularly back then. Some of them were severely abused. So Helga Hufflepuff offered them work and protection in Hogwarts. None of the Hogwarts House Elves is ever mistreated, you know?”

Kíli grunted. “It may be the lesser of the two evils. Still, it doesn’t make it right. Anyway, how was your chat with Professor Thorin.”

“Someone indeed attempted to break into his office again during the Quidditch match,” said Fíli gravely. “Unfortunately, they had succeeded this time.” 

Kíli sat up straighter immediately. How was that possible? Thorin was, regardless of his personality faults, an extremely powerful Wizard that was accomplished in Light and even some Dark magic. How could someone so easily penetrate his wards?

“Uncle doesn’t know who has managed to get past his wards,” frowned Fíli as if such a fact was a personal insult. “I just don’t know how that’s possible. You can hardly find someone better at magic than uncle and Professor Dwalin combined.”

“Professor Dwalin helped as well?” Now Kíli was even more intrigued. Surely this couldn’t be the work of a student for even N.E.W.T. students did not have the experience and skills of seasoned fighters like Thorin and Dwalin. Could it be the Hogwarts staff? This thought sent chills down his spine. “How come they can’t find out who did it? It has to be done by someone strong enough to breach Professor Thorin’s wards. But if it’s a proper wizard, surely they would have recognised their magical signature.”

“But you see, that’s the perplexing bit,” said Fíli. “They couldn’t even find any trace of magic used, which was why uncle wasn’t even alerted when his office was breached. Either the trespasser was so gifted in magic that they can dismantle the ward without triggering the alert and mask their magic completely, which by the way is almost unheard of, or it’s done by a non-magical person.”

Both sounded incredibly absurd to Kíli. It simply did not make sense. “Okay, so was anything taken?”

Fíli shook his head, “From what uncle has told me, his office was searched, very haphazardly too, but nothing was missing. It seems like the trespasser did not care about hiding their tracks. All they wanted was to search for the Arkenstone.”

“But the Arkenstone is not in Professor Thorin’s office,” said Kíli slowly, thinking hard. “So maybe it’s not such a bad thing. I mean nobody knows where it is anyway. If your uncle can’t find it, I doubt others can manage it.”

Fíli sighed. “I hope so. I think it’s really the blatant disregard for the consequences of their action that’s been worrying uncle. It’s almost like they don’t care about getting caught. Either they’re so confident that they won’t or they know that nothing will happen to them even if they are. In both cases, we’re dealing with some very dangerous wizards here.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite the worry about the Arkenstone, Kíli had found his second year much more pleasant than the first. For one, he was no longer constantly worrying about how his lack of magical knowledge would put him in a disadvantage. For another, he was no longer being terrorised by Thorin or harassed by Legolas or Bolg. The addition of Quidditch practices did make his schedule more hectic but Kíli would not give it up for the world. There was nothing better to work out his stress and frustration from school than a good hard Quidditch practice.

The duelling classes with Dwalin also became more interesting. They were progressing to more advanced skills not taught in Defence Against the Dark Arts classes, which Kíli learnt with great enthusiasm. In addition to that, Dwalin had also started teaching Kíli ways to improve on his Sense.

“Now, I’m no expert on this,” said Dwalin during their class one day. “But I borrowed some books on this topic. Yeh might find that useful.” He handed over some ancient-looking tomes to Kíli. “Be careful. Those are from the Erebor library and Thorin would have my guts for garters if they’re somehow damaged.”

Taking the tomes with reverence, Kíli shuddered at the thought of Thorin’s rage. He opened one of them but was instantly confused by the strange symbols in the book.

“Ah, those are ancient runes written in Khuzdûl,” explained Dwalin, “Dwarf language. Yeh can take it next year if yeh want. I highly recommend it. Most of the ancient spells are written in either Khuzdûl or Quenya, Elf language. Most of the Dwarves know at least some Khuzdûl.”

“I’m planning to take Quenya,” said Fíli and Dwalin nodded approvingly. “Uncle’s not too happy about it but mum has managed to persuade him.”

“Yer Khuzdûl’s good enough that I don’t think yeh need to take it. But Quenya can be very useful, especially in defensive magic,” said Dwalin sagely. “Yer uncle’s too stubborn to admit it but thank Mahal Dís has got some sense. Anyway, help Kíli with the book, will yeh?”

“Of course,” nodded Fíli. “I can translate Khuzdûl runes. I’m just not sure if I can help with the actual work to enhance his Sense.”

“It’s something Kíli needs to work on himself,” Dwalin turned to Kíli. “Don’t be discouraged if yeh don’t see results soon. It takes time and effort. Given that yeh’ve got no teacher, it’ll be even harder. But still, now that yeh have some basic magical theory, it’ll hopefully come to yeh. Have fun.”

As a result, in addition to his homework, Kíli also had books on Sense to read. He had tried his best to read the portions written in English, albeit very slowly because he found them incredibly dense and dull. Everything was very vague in describing the source of the Sense and how to enhance it. If anything, they sounded like some sort of New Age nonsense that recently gained quite the popularity in the Muggle world. Kíli had no idea, however, where his centre was, let alone how to enlarge it. In the end, he had to turn to Fíli for help.

“Do you reckon these books are actually written by someone who’s got the Sense?” asked Kíli when Fíli was translating the book to English in the library one day. “It’s supposed to be a rare thing, isn’t it?”

“Hmm, I think the passages written in Khuzdûl are,” said Fíli without lifting his eyes from the tome. “Innate powers such as the Sight, the Sense, and Metamorphosing were not so rare back then. It seems that they have become less common nowadays, which might explain why those instructions in English are rubbish. Whoever wrote it probably did not possess the Sense and had no idea what they were talking about.”

“The Sight?” asked Kíli. “What, someone has supernatural eyesight or something?”

Fíli laughed. “No, it’s the ability to see the future.”

Kíli gasped. He had never imagined that such things could be real. “How’s that possible? I mean, they can tell the future!”

Giving him a strange look, Fíli said, “of course, that’s why there’s a whole hall of prophecies in the Department of Mystery. I mean, true Seers are very hard to come by these days. Like I said, such innate powers are rare and they’re born, not made. But others can learn divination using tea leaves, star charts, etc. You can take it next year if you want.”

That opened a whole realm of possibilities for Kíli. He was yet again amazed by the extent of the magical world. To be honest, though, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to see the future. Wouldn’t life be incredibly boring if one did? “So what is Metamorphosing?”

“It’s the ability to change one’s appearance at will,” said Fíli. “If you are a Metamorphmagus, you don’t need Transfiguration or Polyjuice Potion for that. Unlike Polyjuice Potion, which has a time limit, takes long brewing time, requires something of the person you want to change into, and is quite painful, Metamorphosing can be done in a second with nothing else needed. It’s extremely useful if you want to be an Auror. But I don’t think we’ve heard of one in at least twenty years.”

Trying to digest all this new information, Kíli probed further. “If these powers are born, how come they’re becoming rarer?”

“Nobody knows,” said Fíli. “It’s been a really baffling and worrisome trend in the Wizarding community. Not only that, but the number of Squibs is rising every year. It seems that magic is leaving us. Some people, particularly Dwarves, attribute that to the loss of the Arkenstone, which I don’t really believe in. We’ve only lost it in the past twenty years but the trend has been going on for way longer than that. And it’s affecting not just Dwarves, but Elves and Hobbits too. Men, it seems, are the ones least affected by it. So your ability of the Sense is extremely rare.”

Somehow this did not come as a complete surprise to Kíli. He remembered Dwalin telling him something similar. With the small population of the Wizarding world, he suspected that genetic variations were not great, especially since Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits rarely married someone from another race. He wondered if his ability manifested itself precisely because he was a half-blood.

“Okay,” said Fíli after a solid hour of working, “here you go. I’ve translated as much as I can for the first several chapters so it should be able to get you started. Let me know if the instructions help. I’m curious.”

“Thanks a bunch,” beamed Kíli. “You’re seriously the best, Fíli. What would I do without you?”

Fíli’s cheek turned suspiciously pink. “It’s nothing really. I mean, I’m sure you can figure it out with a Khuzdûl dictionary yourself.”

“Is Khuzdûl hard?” asked Kíli curiously.

“No, not really,” Fíli shook his head. “Not for me anyway but we grew up with it so maybe it’s different for you. I’d definitely recommend you take it next year though. So many of the ancient Dwarf manuscripts are written in Khuzdûl. Even spells from the old times are cast in Khuzdûl, which is said to enhance the spell’s power. You’re a Dwarf so it’s part of your heritage.”

Kíli could hardly argue with that. He did plan to take Khuzdûl if just to get closer to his Dwarf roots. “What are some other classes I can take next year?”

“Well, there’s another Ancient Runes class, Quenya, the Elf language. I plan to take that for sure but maybe you should skip it. Taking two Ancient Runes can be a tad confusing. There’s Arithmancy that studies the magical properties of numbers, which can be used to predict the future. Some say it’s similar to Divination but I think Arithmancy is much more reliable. I’m definitely taking that too. Divination never appeals to me and I doubt I possess the Sight so it may just be a complete waste of time. There’s also Care of Magical Creatures, which will be taught by Professor Dáin,” Kíli shuddered at that point, “and Muggle Studies. You can take as many as you want but usually, people just take two or three to have a normal life. Some people choose the subjects based on future career goals, which is why Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Care of Magical Creatures are quite popular.”

Arithmancy sounded a lot like probabilities to Kíli, which was strangely comforting because he was not too bad with maths when he was in primary school. He had no wish to go anywhere near Dáin’s crazy beasts so he’d pass on Care of Magical Creatures. Divination sounded a bit woolly to him too and he supposed he had no need for Muggle Studies. “I reckon I’ll just take Arithmancy and Khuzdûl then. At least I’ll have you for company in Arithmancy.”

Fíli grinned at him. “Not a fan of Care of Magical Creatures, are we? I think Gimli’s going to take it though.”

“Why?” asked Kíli in utter astonishment. “I mean I know he helps Professor Dáin all the time but taking his class? Does he have a death wish?”

At that, Fíli laughed. “Come on, Professor Dáin’s not that bad. Besides, Gimli’s pretty gifted with magical creatures. Remember the Skrewts?

“How can I forget?” muttered Kíli sarcastically and Fíli sniggered. “Well, that accident aside, Gimli was the only one who could control them and that’s saying something. I think both Ori and I will take it too. All the Dwarves choose Care of Magical Creatures really.”

Staring at Fíli in disbelief, Kíli wondered what on earth was wrong with them. Was one’s loyalty to one’s race enough to outweigh one’s life? Perhaps reading Kíli’s mind from the look on his face, Fíli simply smiled. “It’s really not that bad. Professor Dáin has some self-control when it comes to teaching after all. Besides, some of the creatures are quite fun. Just think about it.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the increased workload, Quidditch practice, duelling classes with Dwalin, and the books on the Sense, Kíli had barely noticed the passage of time until it was December already. The Quidditch training session on Thursday evening was particularly dreadful, where they flew in a blizzard for a good 15 minutes before Oliver Wood finally gave up because one the evil twins accidentally hit his head instead of the Bludger due to poor visibility. The way back to the castle was treacherous as well as Kíli walked on the slippery ground, slowly towards the castle, feeling both freezing and exhausted. All he wanted to do was to get some hot chocolate after a hot shower but it was already past dinner time.

“Why don’t you nick some food from the kitchen?” said Gimli after Kíli complained to him about the training session. “Nobody will mind really.”

“You can do that?” asked Kíli in surprise.

“‘Course,” answered Gimli brightly. “I do that all the time. As long as you watch your back, you’ll be fine.”

“How come nobody else does it?”

“Dunno,” shrugged Gimli, “Ori and Fíli are too good, I reckon. Never break rules and such. But most of the students don’t even know where the kitchen is, let alone how to get inside. It’s actually really easy. Just go to the Great Hall and down the stairs to the Hufflepuff Common Room. The kitchen is right under the Great Hall because that’s how the House Elves send food directly to the four tables. You can’t miss it because the whole basement is decorated with paintings of food. When you see a door with a painting of a bowl of fruit, tickle the pear and it’ll open. Just ask for whatever you fancy. The House Elves will be only too glad to serve you.”

It was only half an hour until curfew but Kíli was hungry enough to risk it. Sneaking out of the Gryffindor Common Room, he followed Gimli’s instructions and soon found the entrance to the basement. Looking around once again to check that the coast was clear, Kíli descended cautiously down the stairs. 

The basement corridor downstairs was broad and brightly-lit. Just as Gimli had described, it was covered in food-themed paintings, which should lift anyone’s spirit. Yet somehow, Kíli found himself strangely wary and alert, as if something was setting him on edge. Attributing his nerves to the fact that he was out of bounds very close to curfew, Kíli proceeded to the door and tickled the pear.

When he stepped into the underground kitchen, Kíli was shocked to see at least a hundred tiny little creatures bustling around with food and dishes. Their ears were large and so were their eyes. They were all dressed in neat clean tea-towels with the Hogwarts crest on it. None of them seemed surprised to see Kíli. One of them trotted over to Kíli and said in a squeaking voice, “good evening, sir. What is sir wanting?”

Before Kíli could say anything, however, the door was flung open with a bang, making the House Elves close to the door jump. Turning around, Kíli saw Bolg’s ugly face and frowned. What on earth was Bolg doing here? It was surely past curfew now!

“Kíli Durin,” sneered Bolg as he kicked the House Elf who came to greet him away, “here by yourself? Where’s your best friend? Finally got tired of you?”

Kíli stared open-mouthed at him. He did not even notice Bolg’s jibes at him because he was simply unable to believe the brutal treatment towards the poor House Elf who had done absolutely nothing to deserve it. “What the hell was that for?”

“What was what for?” The smirk on Bolg’s face froze and he sounded genuinely surprised.

“You kicked a House Elf,” exclaimed Kíli in disbelief, “for absolutely no reason at all! Why did you do that?”

The laugh that escaped Bolg’s ugly mouth made the Kíli’s hair stand on end. “That pathetic little piece of shit? I probably did it a favour by kicking it out of the way.” His sneer grew even bigger at the scandalised look on Kíli’s face. “Aww, you feel sorry for these scum, don’t you? Is that because they remind you of your filthy mother? I bet they’re all from the same stock.”

Trembling from head to toe with rage, Kíli felt the whole kitchen tremble. He had not lost control of his magic for such a long time but somehow he could not bring himself to regret this little slip-up. Bolg had it coming. He deserved whatever Kíli’s magic brought him for his insult and his cruelty.

“No, sirs!” The little House Elf who came to greet Kíli looked positively petrified. “Sir is not to lose control. Blinky is not to let sir lose control and break the kitchen. Bad bad Blinky!”

A quick look around the room told Kíli that all the House Elves were shaking with fear. This brought himself back to reason and he tried hard to control his anger. Breathing slowly, the magic waves around him had finally subsided. When he turned to look at Bolg, however, Kíli found the half-Orc eyeing him with a mixture of triumph and caution.

“You’re lucky I didn’t blow you up,” said Kíli darkly. “Had it not for them, who knows what could happen to you.”

“Freak,” muttered Bolg as he shoved the House Elf who tried to approach him away. Turning on his heels, Bolg left the kitchen quickly.

“Is sir alright?” asked Blinky, his already big eyes wider than a saucer now. “Is sir needing something to eat and drink?”

“Some hot chocolate and biscuits would be lovely,” said Kíli in as kind and soft a voice as he could manage and Blinky beamed at him before hurrying away. He returned within seconds with a giant tray of hot chocolate and all sorts of tea biscuits hovering above his head.

“Thank you so much, Blinky,” sighed Kíli gratefully. Clearly overwhelmed by Kíli’s civil behaviour, Blinky bowed so deep that his big hose was touching the floor. “Sir is so kind. Blinky is proud to serve sir. So proud.”

‘It’s nothing really,” said Kíli awkwardly. “You’ve done so well that this is the least I can do. I’m not a barbarian like Bolg. What he’s done is just inexcusable. You must be so mad.”

“Oh no, sir.” Blinky clapped both his hands over his big ears and shook his head vehemently. “We does not serve sir Bolg right. Sir Bolg is right to punish we. We is being bad House Elves and we deserves to be punished.”

“But you haven’t done anything wrong at all. You went to greet him and he kicked you! He was the horrible one here. You should not be punished at all.”

“Excuse me, sir,” said Blinky, looking appalled at Kíli’s words, “wizards does what they wants. Their words is law. If he thinks we is bad, we is bad. Bad House Elves must be punished.”

“But this is all wrong! You shouldn’t be treated like that. Surely your happiness counts.”

“As long as there’s work to be done and wizards to be served, we is happy,” answered Blinky without any hesitation at all, puffing up his chest with a proud smile on his face.

“I…” Kíli was completely lost for words. He had never met someone who was so completely brainwashed and magically engineered to be enslaved. It was so against his upbringing that he was astonished that wizards, including someone as nice as Fíli, seemed to regard the situation as completely normal. He wondered how his mother felt when she married his father. Was she equally horrified to find out that he owned some House Elves too? Did she accept it because that was part of being a wizard?

A loud banging noise outside the kitchen interrupted Kíli’s musing. Frowning slightly, he finished his chocolate and packed the rest of the food. After thanking the House Elves for their help despite their protest that they did not deserve his gratitude, Kíli left the kitchen. 

The sight that greeted him was completely unexpected. Bolg, who had just been so energetic when he was bullying the poor House Elves, was lying on the ground, completely unconscious. Rushing towards the Slytherin’s side, Kíli tried to revive Bolg but to no avail. The Slytherin remained comatose, rigid, and cold, which was beginning to scare Kíli. Taking out a trembling hand, he fumbled around Bolg’s neck and sighed with relief when he felt a very faint pulse underneath Bolg’s hardened skin. At least he was still alive.

“What in the name of Merlin is going on?” Alfrid’s oily voice made Kíli jump. When he looked up, he could see the Caretaker’s astounded expression at Bolg’s prone form. Next to him, Mister Lock hissed at Kíli menacingly.

“What have you done to the boy?” shrieked Alfrid as he took a step back, clearly afraid that Kíli would do the same to him.

“Nothing!” said Kíli. “I was in the kitchen and I heard a loud bang. I came out to check and he was already like this.”

“How do I know if you’re telling the truth?” Alfrid’s voice went, if possible, even higher. “You are out of bed after curfew and the only one at the scene of the crime!”

“I didn’t do anything,” exclaimed Kíli, feeling both angry and worried. What if nobody believed him? The circumstances did look suspicious enough. “In any case, we need to get Bolg to the Hospital Wing! We need help. I can’t levitate him by myself.”

“I’m not going to let you go like that!” spat Alfrid. “Do you think I’m stupid? You’ll just run back to your Common Room and deny ever being here.”

Before Kíli could retort back, a deep voice came from the stairs. “What is going on here?”

Kíli had never been so grateful and relieved to see Thorin in his life. Rushing to his professor’s side, he quickly told Thorin what had happened.

“So you found him like this?” Thorin’s tone was not accusatory like Alfrid’s yet Kíli could not help but notice a hint of suspicion in it. Steeling himself, Kíli looked Thorin straight in the eye and nodded firmly.

“Fine,” said Thorin, who had finally broken eye contact after a good minute. “I will levitate him to the Hospital Wing. Alfrid, please go and find Professor Dwalin. We will need his expertise on this. It wouldn’t hurt to inform the Headmaster too. Mister Durin, follow me.”

The trip to the Hospital Wing was an uncomfortable one for Kíli. As he walked in silence after Thorin, who had levitated Bolg in front of him, Kíli wondered if he should say more to Thorin to prove his innocence. Did Thorin believe him? How could he prove himself? Who did attack Bolg anyway? Could Oín revive him so he could tell them what had happened? All those questions swirled in Kíli’s head until he had finally reached the Hospital Wing.

“My goodness,” cried Oín once he saw Bolg, “put him down on this bed. Anyone care to tell me what has happened?”

Once again, Kíli retold the story. Thankfully, Oín did not seem eager to pass judgement. He simply nodded and proceeded to examine Bolg, who remained resolutely inert.

“What’s happening?” Dwalin and Professor Gandalf’s appearance meant that Kíli had to tell the story again for what felt like the umpteenth time. Once he was done, Dwalin wasted no time in going over to Bolg’s side to check the Slytherin.

“Do you know anyone who could have done this? Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary on your way down there?” asked Professor Gandalf kindly. It looked like he at least believed Kíli.

“No, not really,” Kíli shook his head slowly. He debated briefly if he should mention the strange feeling he had experienced when he was outside the kitchen but decided against it. For some reason, he felt disinclined to divulge everything to Professor Gandalf. Besides, it was probably irrelevant. It was probably just his nerves.

“I see,” said Professor Gandalf slowly, which made Kíli wonder if he could tell Kíli was not being entirely truthful. “If you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing in the kitchen at this time of the day?”

“I…” Kíli blushed. He was probably going to cost Gryffindor some points for his late-night stroll. “I was hungry after the Quidditch practice so I just, well, I was hoping to get some food before bed.”

Professor Gandalf chuckled. “How nice it is to be young with a ferocious appetite. I understand.”

Thorin, however, was not so understanding. “Twenty points from Gryffindor for being out of bounds after curfew. Your Quidditch practice ended hours ago. You should have planned better.”

Hanging his head in shame, Kíli could not deny Thorin’s words. Luckily, Professor Gandalf came to his rescue. “We all make mistakes, Thorin, particularly at a young age. I’m sure Kíli will learn from this one. We’ve got more important things to investigate now.” He turned to Dwalin and Oín. “Any clue what might have happened to Mister Bolg?”

“Well, we know what’s wrong with him,” said Dwalin, looking concerned. “We just don’t know how it happened.”

“Mister Bolg has been petrified,” said Oín and the rest of the room gasped, except Kíli and Alfrid, who clearly had no idea what was going on.

“Are you absolutely sure?” asked Thorin and Oín nodded. “I ran some diagnostic spells and Dwalin confirmed my findings. He was definitely petrified, which explains why he’s out cold, literally.”

“But we don’t know who did it,” said Dwalin. “It’s very advanced dark magic. Only a very powerful dark wizard could have achieved this.” Which, of course, meant that Kíli was completely innocent.

“Kíli,” said Professor Gandalf in a calm collected tone, “thank you very much for your help and input in this unfortunate incident. It is, however, getting late and you really ought to be in bed. Alfrid, please escort Kíli safely to the Gryffindor Common Room. Thank you.”

“But professor.” Kíli was too curious and anxious to go to bed now. He wanted to find out who attacked Bolg. Heaven knows the attacker could be hidden somewhere when Kíli walked down that corridor. He could have been attacked instead.

“Please, Kíli,” Professor Gandalf still sounded patient but there was a definite sense of finality in his voice, “it is high time for you to rest and get ready for your classes tomorrow. Rest assured that we will get to the bottom of this matter. Good night, Kíli.”

“Good night, Professor,” muttered Kíli, acknowledging defeat. On his way back though, he knew what he would do. For one thing, he was going to tell Fíli everything. For another, he was going to conduct his own investigation, no matter what Professor Gandalf had said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot finally started picking up. Sorry if the previous chapters felt long. Any comments would be lovely.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Kíli's nighttime excursion into the kitchen. It's time for Kíli and Fíli to play detective.

“You did what?” Fíli’s shocked voice at breakfast the next day drew nearly everyone’s attention to their supposedly private discussion. Shooting Fíli a reproachful look, Kíli waited until nobody was watching before continuing in a whisper, “as I said, I sneaked out to get some food from the kitchen. I know, I know,” he raised his voice slightly at the exasperated look on Fíli’s face, “it’s against the rules but I was famished. You don’t want me to die from hunger, do you? Anyway, that’s not the point. Bolg was attacked, right when I was in the kitchen!”

“And you don’t know who did it?” asked Fíli with a frown.

“No,” Kíli shook his head, “and neither did Professor Dwalin or even Professor Gandalf. At least I don’t think they do but, you know, maybe they didn’t want a student like me to know. Professor Dwalin just told us that Bolg was petrified.”

“Petrified?”

“Will you please keep it down?” Kíli hissed and Fíli quickly apologised. “Sorry, but,” he lowered his voice, “petrified? Are you sure? That’s extremely serious.”

“That’s what Professor Dwalin said. I don’t even know what it means,” said Kíli.

“Basically you’re turned into stone,” said Fíli. Kíli rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’ve figured that much out, funnily enough. I still speak English, you know.”

“Don’t be sassy with me,” chided Fíli mildly. “There are different levels of petrification. Complete petrification leaves the victim completely stone-like. Their skins will feel like stone and they’re completely rigid. You can’t feel any kind of warmth or life in them. But they’re still alive and can be revived with the proper potions.”

“How do you know if they’re still alive then?”

“Because a petrified person stays rigid as long as they’re petrified. A corpse doesn’t do that,” said Fíli bluntly, which made Kíli cringe.

“Okay, but I could still feel the faint pulse on Bolg’s neck. Does that mean he’s not completely petrified?”

“Yes,” answered Fíli, “incomplete petrification can happen, usually because the spell is not strong enough. Those cases are easier to revive.”

“What kind of spell can petrify someone?” Kíli wondered out loud. It must be really powerful Dark Magic. “How does it even work?”

Fíli frowned. “I don’t really know the theory behind it. As you said, it’s very dark magic.”

“So someone must be lurking in the corridor when I was walking into the kitchen then.” Kíli shuddered at the thought. “I thought I felt something. But I never thought my Sense has developed that much over the past month. I could only feel the magic on inanimate objects before.”

“It’s possible to cast a spell on an object,” said Fíli. “Many magical objects are created that way. If you activate the spell on the object, accidentally or on purpose, it will have the same effect as if the original caster used the spell on you.”

That would make sense, thought Kíli. Somebody planted a dark object in the corridor, which was why he could Sense it. Bolg accidentally stumbled upon it and found himself at the receiving end of a Petrification spell. Yet it was not powerful enough to completely petrify him. The only question remaining now was who would place such an object there and how they managed to achieve such a feat.

“Do you reckon someone could have smuggled it into the castle when they came to Hogwarts?” asked Kíli but Fíli shook his head. “Hogwarts has spells to prevent unauthorised dark objects from passing into the school. Otherwise, anyone could have brought something dark into the castle.”

“Okay,” said Kíli, trying for a different theory, “then someone must have sneaked in. Maybe they cast the dark spell on the object when they were inside the castle.”

“That is feasible,” said Fíli. “But I just can’t see how someone can get into Hogwarts without being detected. The wards around the school alert the Headmaster of anyone from out the school crossing into school boundaries and the fireplaces are all monitored too.”

“Can’t they Apparate?” asked Kíli, hoping that he had said the word right. “They could just land in a deserted classroom and nobody will know.”

“Oh no. Nobody can Apparate in and out of Hogwarts. The whole school’s been put under Anti-Apparation charm.”

Now feeling deflated, Kíli wondered if what he had felt was not Dark Magic at all, simply his own fear. Fíli seemed to sense his friend’s changed mood for he quickly added. “It doesn’t mean it’s impossible though. There are several secret passageways in and out of Hogwarts. Uncle knows them but maybe there are some that he doesn’t know about. Nobody knows all the secrets of Hogwarts after all.”

“But it’s pretty unlikely, isn’t it?” said Kíli gloomily.

“True,” conceded Fíli, “but there are other possibilities. Maybe the object was hidden in Hogwarts in the first place. As I said, nobody knows everything about Hogwarts. Maybe the spell was cast by a very advanced seventh-year student, which can explain why it wasn’t that powerful.”

“Okay,” said Kíli, feeling much better now, “how can we find out about it though? The Headmaster clearly doesn’t want us involved.”

“We can ask Professor Dwalin about it,” said Fíli confidently. “I’m sure he’ll let something slip. I can ask uncle too but he’s usually much more cautious.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The news that Bolg had been attacked was meant to be kept a secret from the students. Yet somehow, the entire school knew about it by lunchtime. Kíli had an inkling who had leaked the news but had no time to ponder on it because their lunch was interrupted by the abrupt arrival of Azog.

“Ah, Mister Gundabad.” Professor Gandalf rose from his seat and greeted the former Death Eater with a serene smile, completely ignoring the murderous glare in Azog’s eyes. Kíli could hardly blame Azog this time. His own son was petrified at Hogwarts! Any parent would be concerned and possibly angry at the situation. His sympathy for Azog, however, soon evaporated when the former Death Eater stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted Kíli. Instead of making his way to the Staff Table, Azog rounded on Kíli.

“You!” His menacing voice drew everybody’s eyes to Kíli. “How dare you attack my son, you disgusting half-breed!”

“I…” spluttered Kíli. He had never felt so small in front of someone before but Azog’s hulking figure did the trick. The look on his face did nothing to help either. His bulging bloodshot eyes looked as if they might escape from his eye socket at any moment, probably as a projectile missile against Kíli. The black teeth might beg a good toothpaste but they were sharp as shark’s. Kíli never knew one could display such an impressive array of popping veins on one’s forehead. It’s against human anatomy! Before Azog could do anything, Fíli stepped in to block Kíli from Azog’s view. “Kíli’s done nothing to your son. You should thank him for had it not been for him, Bolg could have been lying there forever before someone discovered him.”

“He was the only one there when my son was attacked!” Azog snarled, putting his predator teeth on full display. “And you expect me to believe that he’s innocent?”

“Please, Mister Gundabad,” Professor Gandalf had deemed it necessary to intervene as he left the Staff Table. “Mister Durin is indeed completely innocent.”

“So you’re going to take his word for it, Gandalf?” Azog rounded on the Headmaster now. “I thought you care about justice. Where’s the proof?”

“Kíli couldn’t have done it because Bolg was petrified!” cried Fíli, throwing caution into the wind. “You know that no second-year can cast a spell like this!”

Even Azog could not argue with that so he said nothing but merely spat contemptuously onto the ground. Taking the opportunity, Professor Gandalf said smoothly. “Precisely. Now, I understand that you wish to visit your son in the Hospital Wing?”

Throwing Kíli a dirty look, Azog left with Professor Gandalf without another word. Once he was out of sight, the whole Great Hall broke out in eager discussions.

“Bloody hell, Kíli,” said Gimli with what, in Kíli’s opinion, was misplaced admiration. “I didn’t know you were involved. You kept that a secret!”

“I didn’t want anyone to know,” said Kíli. “Who knows what they will think.”

“Oh, don’t be absurd, Kíli!” said Tauriel firmly. “Everybody knows you couldn’t have done it! It’s not in you to hurt someone, no matter how much you loathe them. I would have believed you even if the spell is something you can cast. Everyone would.”

Smiling gratefully at Tauriel, Kíli wished she was right. But he knew not everyone would trust him so as Tauriel did. Next to him, Fíli did not seem too pleased.

“Thanks by the way,” Kíli whispered to Fíli, “for sticking up for me, I mean. I don’t know what came over me.” 

Fíli’s face softened. “Don’t mention it. You’ve done nothing wrong. Azog has no right to accuse you like that. I would have done it every single time.”

“His son was attacked,” sighed Kíli. “I can hardly blame him for reacting in such a manner. I would have been even more violent if something had happened to someone I care about, like you.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the next couple of days, Kíli had to put up with the presence of Azog in the castle. Determined to remain at his son’s side, Azog spent most of his time in the Hospital Wing. Every now and then, however, Kíli would run into the surly former Death Eater in the corridors, who apparently did not believe Kíli’s innocence completely, if the constant scowl on his face was anything to go by.

“How long do you think Azog will remain at Hogwarts?” asked Kíli at dinner that weekend. “Where’s he staying anyway?”

“Uncle’s set him up in one of the staff offices,” said Fíli, “close to the dungeon because they couldn’t find one next to the Hospital Wing and Mister Oín downright refused to have him sleeping in the Hospital Wing because he terrorises all the other patients there.”

“Figures,” muttered Kíli. He had no idea how much longer Azog would remain in the castle but he hoped with all his heart that it would not be too long. He could not stand the idea of having Azog around during the holiday season. “Have they made any progress on Bolg?”

“Professor Bilbo told me that he’s working on the Mandrake Restorative Draught but he has to wait for the Mandrakes to mature,” said Ori with his usual enthusiasm reserved specifically for Herbology-related topics. “Mandrakes are notoriously difficult to grow. Luckily, he planted some last year but it can still take up to a month.”

Kíli sighed. That likely meant that Azog would be here over the holidays. He had debated if he should stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. Madam McGonagall’s last mail had contained some not so pleasant news. The financial situation in the orphanage had deteriorated due to the influx of orphans that Madam McGonagall simply did not have the heart to turn away. Now, it seemed, the decision was made for him.

As if reading his mind, Fíli asked casually, “what’s your plan for Christmas?”

“I honestly can’t make up my mind,” said Kíli. “I’d love to go back to the orphanage but I feel bad giving them one more mouth to feed when they’re already struggling. I was thinking about staying at Hogwarts but then if Azog will be here…”

“Why don’t you come to Erebor?” said Fíli with excitement in his voice. “We can celebrate Christmas and New Years together! It’ll be so much fun.”

“But your uncle…”

“Uncle has warmed up to you, hasn’t he?” said Fíli encouragingly. “Besides,” he lowered his voice, “with the situation of the,” he mouthed the word ‘Arkenstone’, “and Bolg, I doubt he’ll spend much time away from Hogwarts at all.”

Kíli thought about it. Truth be told, he still felt uncomfortable in Thorin’s presence, particularly when it was not strictly necessary. He was pretty certain that Thorin felt the same way, though he had learnt to tolerate Kíli, if only temporarily. Christmas was supposed to be for families to reunite and celebrate with each other. He would hate to intrude upon such an important time. “Maybe I can spend Christmas in Hogwarts and come to Erebor afterwards? We can spend New Years together.”

Fíli looked ready to argue but his reply was cut short by the commotion outside the Great Hall. Turning his head to see what had happened, Kíli was not entirely surprised to find Azog storming into the Great Hall. It took very little to set Azog off these days and even Kíli, who felt sorry for Azog because of Bolg’s incident, soon grew weary of the former Death Eater’s short fuse. This time, it seemed, it was Colin Creevey, a first-year Muggleborn Gryffindor, who had irritated Azog.

“What’s happened?” asked Ori very gently when Colin joined them at the Gryffindor table, looking positively petrified.

“I…” swallowed Colin thickly, “I was taking some pictures outside the Great Hall. You know me. I love taking pictures of the castle so I can send them to my dad. He’s a milkman and finds Hogwarts and magic absolutely fascinating. But I think Mister, er, what’s his name?”

“Gundabad,” supplied Kíli helpfully. Colin sighed. “Oh, right. Mister Gundabad. Anyway, he thought I was trying to take a picture of him so I could sell it to the newspapers. I mean, honestly, I hardly know anything about Wizarding newspapers apart from the fact that the Daily Prophet is one of the biggest ones. But he lost it completely and wouldn't listen to me at all. If it hadn’t been for Professor Dwalin, he would have smashed my camera!”

That sounded very much like Azog, thought Kíli. If he was picking on someone, it was most likely a Muggleborn student both because Azog was a bigoted idiot and because Muggleborn students were easy target with little repercussions.

“Do you think I should go and explain everything to him?” Colin asked anxiously. “I really don’t want him to get the wrong impression. I mean, he’s staying here, isn’t he?”

“Don’t bother if you value your life,” said Gimli darkly. “Azog is a dangerous prick and he won’t listen anyway. Just stay clear of him and you’ll be fine.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If Kíli had been debating if he should take up on Fíli’s offer to spend Christmas with his family in Erebor before, his next encounter with Thorin helped him make up his mind. They had Potions first thing in the morning on Monday, which was never a good idea since everyone was usually too distracted from the weekend’s activities, and Thorin asked Kíli to stay behind after class.

“I’ll be fine,” whispered Kíli when Fíli looked even more anxious than he was. “I’m sure Professor Thorin just has some comments about my last essay.”

As it turned out, it had nothing to do with the Potions essay.

“Mister Durin,” Thorin looked his usual sullen self when Kíli approached him, which did nothing to ease Kíli’s worries. “I’m sure you still recall what happened last Thursday.”

“Er…” Kíli wondered if there had been some new development in Bolg’s attack so that Thorin needed to question him again.

“I meant,” said Thorin with an impatient air, “surely you realise that you were out of bounds last Thursday night after curfew.”

“Oh, that.” Kíli’s heart sank. In all honesty, he had completely forgotten about it given everything else that had happened that night. Thorin, it seemed, had excellent memories.

“Exactly, that,” smirked Thorin. “I understand that everyone was more than a bit preoccupied that night to properly address the issue but now that Mister Bolg’s condition has stabilised, I believe we need to rectify this, don’t you agree?”

Kíli said nothing. He knew what was coming and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. As a result, he simply resigned himself to waiting patiently for Thorin to give out his verdict.

“For your behaviour,” said Thorin smugly, “I must deduct 50 points from Gryffindor and…”

“50 points?” Kíli cried in utter disbelief. “But professor…”

“And serve detentions with me every Wednesday night for three weeks.” Thorin’s firm voice brooked no argument. “It will hopefully teach you a lesson so such incidents never occur again. Any questions?”

“No, sir,” muttered Kíli. It was hard not to feel resentful towards Thorin, who had deducted so many points for such a small transgression that Gryffindor’s hope at winning the House Cup was dwindling even further. 

“Good. I want you to report to my office at 8 pm sharp starting this Wednesday. You will help me prepare ingredients for the Potions classes. Do not be late or I’ll be forced to hand out even more punishment.”

“What’s the matter, Kíli?” Fíli asked when Kíli threw himself down next to him at the Ravenclaw table for lunch, looking listless. “What did uncle do?”

“He took 50 points from Gryffindor and gave me three detentions for my little excursion last Thursday night,” whined Kíli, his head buried in his arms. “The Gryffindors will hate me now and I’ll probably die in the dungeon in detention.”

“Oh, Kíli,” sighed Fíli as he put a placating hand on Kíli’s shoulder, “I’m so sorry. 50 points is a lot. But I’m sure you’ll survive those detentions with uncle. I mean, it can’t be that bad, can it?”

“He wants me to prepare ingredients for Potions classes,” wailed Kíli as he looked up in despair. “I can hardly get my own Potions ingredients right. Either he wants to kill all his other students or he just needs an excuse to turn me into a Potions ingredient.”

The corner of Fíli’s mouth twitched suspiciously but he kept patting Kíli in a soothing manner, “I’m sure it won’t be that bad. Uncle will never do that. He’ll probably guide you through it, which can be quite beneficial actually. You’ll learn how to properly prepare those ingredients from the best.”

“At least you’ve got a better deal than Elrohir,” said Lindir, who had been listening in to their conversation. “Remember his prank on Professor Thorin? He got detention with Alfrid and had to clean the girls’ lavatories without magic for an entire month. I think he was ready to commit murder by the end of it.”

“Well,” said Fíli, “Elrohir kind of deserves it, doesn’t he? Kíli, on the other hand, didn’t harm anybody. All he did was sneaking out of bed for some food. That’s hardly a crime.”

“Tut, tut,” smirked Lindir. “I’d never imagined that one day you, the rule-abiding never-in-trouble Fíli, would defend someone for breaking the rules.”

When Fíli stuttered to form a response, Lindir simply laughed. “Oh, Fíli. Just relax. I’m only taking the mickey. Besides, I’m pretty happy that Kíli’s lost Gryffindor 50 points. Good for Ravenclaw’s bid for the House Cup, isn’t it?”

“This is not helping,” said Fíli through gritted teeth when Kíli showed every sign of drowning himself in the mouth-watering tomato soup. 

“Oh well,” smirked Lindir, not at all sorry about his comments. “No need to feel bad about it, little Kíli. The evil twins have lost Gryffindor more points than you can count. I mean, Professor Thorin deducted 100 points from Gryffindor for Elrohir’s stunts. Gryffindors are used to it. I’m sure your 50 points won’t make a difference in the end.”

Though not exactly comforting, Kíli did feel slightly better after comparing himself to the evil twins. He still dreaded the Wednesday detentions, of course. But he could do little about that now.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Wednesday did come, Kíli bid Fíli farewell after dinner with the same air as someone walking to the guillotine. He made sure that he was 5 minutes early when he reached the dungeon because he did not wish to give Thorin yet another reason to punish him. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the dungeon door and was greeted by Thorin’s baritone voice. “Come in.”

“Good evening, sir,” said Kíli politely but Thorin paid him little attention. He was working in front of a cauldron, brewing something that looked and certainly smelt suspiciously nasty.

“You’re going to prepare the flobberworm mucus for the Wiggenweld Potion that the third-year students will brew next week,” said Thorin without looking up. “You can find the flobberworms in a box there. Feed them some lettuce and they will excrete mucus. Collect the mucus into these clearly-labelled vials. It’s a simple task but show me the first vial you’ve collected so I know you haven’t messed it up.”

“Yes, sir,” muttered Kíli as he approached the flobberworms with caution. He had never even heard of them so he had no idea what to expect. He suspected that it was one of the magical creatures that Dáin hatched, which was always a cause of concern. To his great relief, the flobberworms turned out to be quite boring worms that moved very little, let alone showed any aggression. They seemed content to just chew the lettuce leaves Kíli fed them and produce copious amounts of mucus in the meantime.

“Professor,” said Kíli tentatively after 10 minutes. He had finished collecting the first vial but Thorin seemed too engrossed in his potions to be interrupted.

Fortunately, Thorin did not seem to mind Kíli’s interruption. With his eyes still on his potion, he beckoned Kíli forward.

“Hmm, the flobberworm mucus looks acceptable,” said Thorin when he finally spared Kíli’s vial a glance. Uncorking the vial, he wafted the smell before nodding. “Keep collecting them and inform me once you have managed at least 15 vials.”

“Yes, sir,” said Kíli. Before he went back to work, however, his damned curiosity got the better of him. “What potion are you making, sir?”

This time, Thorin did look up from his potion. The intensity of his gaze made Kíli immediately regret his impulsive nature. Reminding himself that he was a Gryffindor, Kíli held his ground and looked Thorin straight in the eye.

“It’s the Mandrake Restorative Draught,” Thorin finally said, which made Kíli gasp. “So this is for Bolg? But I thought the Mandrakes are not ready.”

Although it was hard to tell, Kíli felt that Thorin gave him an appraising look. “They are not. There are, however, other steps and ingredients I need to add to the potion, which takes time to brew properly. If I start now, the potion will be ready for the final ingredients when the Mandrake’s roots are ready in less than a month’s time.”

“Right,” said Kíli awkwardly before he returned to his task at hand. It was not the most stimulating work as it involved a lot of waiting and more scraping up flobberworm mucus. But it was simple so Kíli was pretty certain he was doing the right thing. A good two hours had passed before he was done.

“Hmm…” Thorin examined all the vials carefully before finally saying, “these are acceptable and you’re dismissed. You’ll come back the same time next Wednesday to work on a different ingredient. Any questions?”

“No, sir,” said Kíli and he quickly packed up his bag. Before he left the dungeon, he debated fiercely with himself. Finally making up his mind, he turned to Thorin and said in a small voice, “goodnight, professor.” He did not exactly expect a reply back and was thus thoroughly astonished when 10 seconds later, Thorin’s deep voice could be heard over the bubbling of the cauldron, “goodnight, Mister Durin.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How did it go?” asked Fíli eagerly at breakfast the next day. Kíli gave him a reassuring smile. “It went okay actually. Professor Thorin asked me to prepare flobberworm mucus for a potion for his third-years. It was quite easy and I think he was pleased with what I did.”

“See!” Fíli beamed. “I told you it’ll be fine! Uncle really doesn’t hate you. You should seriously think about coming to Erebor for Christmas.”

“I wouldn’t push my luck,” laughed Kíli although he was secretly pleased with Thorin’s thawing attitude towards him as well. “But anyway, Professor Thorin was there brewing the Mandrake Restorative Draught last night. He said it would be ready in less than a month.”

“Of course, they’d ask uncle to make the potion!” Fíli put his fork down and puffed up his chest. “He’s not only the best Potions Master but also someone Professor Gandalf trusts.”

“Yeah. Well, do you think Bolg will remember who attacked him once he’s woken up?” asked Kíli.

“Hmm,” said Fíli thoughtfully, picking his knife and fork back up to resume cutting up his sausage into small pieces. “Petrification does not affect one’s memories so technically, as long as Bolg had seen the attacker, he should have no trouble remembering them. I just hope he’s going to tell the truth when he does wake up.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” sighed Fíli, “I’m not trying to be too cynical but Bolg knew you were in the kitchen out of bounds. He has never liked you so what if he pins this on you?”

Kíli bit his lips. The memory of his last encounter with Bolg only left him more confused than ever. On one hand, Bolg’s disdain towards him was obvious. On the other hand, he could not help but feel that Bolg’s attitude might be attributed to his close friendship with Fíli. Bolg almost sounded like he felt that Kíli was not good enough to deserve Fíli’s friendship.

“You can’t be serious!” Fíli’s face was red as a tomato once Kíli made the mistake of speaking his mind. “I mean, he can’t be interested in me!”

“I dunno. It kind of fits.”

“Regardless,” Fíli swallowed hard and shook his head. Kíli felt sorry for him. His poor friend was clearly trying his best not to self-combust from embarrassment, “his attitude towards you hasn’t changed that much. All I’m saying is that you need to watch out.”

“But,” said Kíli reasonably, “nobody will believe him. I can’t do that kind of dark magic!”

“He could say that you gave him a dark object,” said Fíli. “I mean, we know that you couldn’t have found a powerful Dark Wizard to enchant an object even if you tried but still. This is a touchy subject and Hogwarts is obliged to investigate you if Bolg does make such a claim. You may eventually be proven innocent but the process won’t be fun at all. Besides, you were the only other one there. Bolg might genuinely think it’s you. He’s not the brightest pea in the pot, you know.”

“Then we must find out who did it,” said Kíli resolutely. “I can’t just sit here hoping that Bolg won’t want a little revenge when he wakes up. It’s like asking a Blast-Ended Skrewts to be cuddly. Never going to happen.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yet their investigation proved difficult. With so little information to go on, both Kíli and Fíli had no clue who carried out the attack.

“Okay, let’s go over what we know so far,” said Kíli when they were revising in the library that weekend. “So a Dark Wizard or a Dark object sneaked into Hogwarts is very unlikely since they can’t do that undetected. So it must be someone inside Hogwarts then, most likely a professor or a very advanced seventh-year student, or a Dark object already in Hogwarts.”

“I’ve talked to Professor Dwalin,” said Fíli. “He doesn’t think anyone in the 7th year comes anywhere close to being at that level. Petrification is not exactly in the N.E.W.T. curriculum, you see.”

“Can they borrow a book from the library or something?” asked Kíli. “Do they even have books on Petrification in Hogwarts?”

“I think they do,” said Fíli, his brows furrowed in concentration. “From what Professor Dwalin has told me, none of the 7th year, or any student in the school for that matter, is magically advanced enough to do it. So even if they did borrow a book from the library or brought one from home, I doubt they can perform the spell.”

“So it must be an adult Wizard in the castle or a hidden Dark object.” Kíli sincerely hoped it was the latter. The fact that one of the Hogwarts staff could harm a student was disturbing at the very least.

“We can ask around to see if the Staff members have an alibi,” said Fíli tentatively. “We can rule them out that way.”

“You think they’d tell us?” Kíli was sceptical and for a good reason. No professors in their right mind would tell two second-years where they were that night, not to mention the fact they did not know all the professors.

Fíli looked hesitant. “Honestly, I think uncle will be the best choice to question them but I doubt he’ll want to let us know. I can ask Professor Dwalin.”

“That could work,” said Kíli enthusiastically. “Professor Dwalin’s reasonable. Besides, they might have started this anyway. So,” he looked at the notes he had scribbled down to confirm, “we have just one other possibility to investigate: an object that’s already in Hogwarts.”

“That’s honestly the hardest part,” said Fíli. “Hogwarts is so full of secrets that not even Professor Gandalf knows all of them. There’s no way we can find out if something’s hidden.”

That put a damper on Kíli’s enthusiasm but he quickly perked up. He would not be defeated so easily. “But surely there is some kind of documentation about those secret rooms or treasures. They never remain hidden forever.”

“Most likely yes. But those documents are usually passed only within the family. Besides, most of those secret hiding places will have some kind of protection around them so that only certain people can access that. Blood magic is commonly used so even if you have the map, you can never find the place unless you’re a blood relative. Some of the oldest magical families have died out ages ago, which is why their secrets remain hidden forever.”

“But this one can’t be,” argued Kíli. “Someone did take the object out, which means they can access it. We just need to find out who could potentially do it. It must be someone from an old Wizarding family then. We can start from there.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite Kíli’s conviction and dedication, the task he set himself proved easier said than done. He had tried his best to observe the students from ancient Wizarding families to detect any abnormal behaviours. The sheer size of the students that met that category, however, made the task quite daunting.

“We need more help,” said Kíli at the lunch table on Wednesday. “I can hardly spy on every student that comes from an ancient Wizarding family.”

“I…” Fíli hesitated before saying tentatively. “Perhaps we need a different approach? I mean, I don’t think it’s feasible for anyone to do it.”

“What else can we do?” asked Kíli. “This is the only lead we have, unless,” he looked at Fíli with hopeful eyes, “you have better news from Professor Dwalin?”

“I do have some good news.” Fíli’s answer piqued Kíli’s interest. “Professor Dwalin told me that he has talked to most of the staff, the ones he’s close to, and all of them have verifiable alibis. He still needs to talk to the rest of the staff but he doesn’t know them that well. It’ll be harder to wheedle information out of them without raising suspicion but Professor Dwalin’s on it. He’ll let us know once he’s completed his investigation.”

“That’s brilliant!” Kíli cried so ardently that Fíli had to hush him up. “I mean, we really owe Professor Dwalin a big favour. I wasn’t even sure if he’s going to take us seriously. So, did he tell you which ones are left?”

“Only a couple,” said Fíli, “Professor Glorfindel Gondolin. He’s the Professor for Ancient Runes, Quenya. He’s an Elf and mostly keeps to himself. Dwalin is on speaking terms with him but has to tread carefully because Professor Gondolin is very intelligent and alert. Then there’s Bifur Moria, the Professor for Ancient Runes, Khuzdûl. He’s the cousin of Bofur Moria, the Professor for Muggle Study, and Bombur Moria, the Chef in the kitchen. He’s a Dwarf but a Dwarf of very few words. Outside the class, only Bofur and Bombur have been able to coax meaningful information out of him. We think that he suffered a really bad curse to the head during the Last Wizarding War, which affected his mind and ability of speech. He’s brilliant at Khuzdûl but that’s the only thing that he ever speaks now. So understandably, Bofur and Bombur are very protective of him.”

“Do you think either of them could have done it?” asked Kíli. Fíli shook his head, “as I said, Bifur’s been having problems but he wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s eccentric but probably one of the gentlest people you’ll ever meet. As for Professor Gondolin, he’s a Light Wizard. Most of the Elves are actually. It doesn’t mean they can’t do horrendous things but it’s harder for them to use this kind of Dark Magic. Besides, Professor Gondolin was an extremely courageous warrior in the Last Wizarding War. He fought so valiantly against the Dark Lord that even uncle speaks highly of him. I doubt he’s changed so much that he’s going around hexing students nowadays.”

“So it’s pretty much down to cursed hidden objects then,” concluded Kíli and Fíli nodded.

Unfortunately, Kíli could not continue his investigation that night due to his second detention with Thorin, which turned out to be a lot more eventful and informative than the first.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Kíli and Fíli tried to figure out the culprit behind the attack, Kíli also got to meet some less deadly magical creatures.

When Kíli arrived at the dungeon, he found Thorin in his usual position, working on a potion that Kíli suspected was the Mandrake Restorative Draught. After giving him some simple but clear instructions on how to prepare Valerian roots, Thorin went back to his brewing. Setting out to work, Kíli barely noticed the passage of time until Thorin’s deep voice asked him to stop.

“I believe we have enough for my fourth-year class,” said Thorin as he examined the valerian roots and picked out a couple of ones that he deemed unsatisfactory. “It’s already a quarter past ten so you may go now.”

Packing up his things dutifully, Kíli bid Thorin good night and headed out of the dungeon. He never liked that part of the night. The dungeon, which was cold and damp even during the day, seemed even more menacing at night. Kíli could swear that he felt more apprehensive when he walked through the dark corridors outside the dungeon that night. The lamplights on the wall flickered from winds that came from nowhere, casting strange shadows on the ground. The walls felt sinister as if they were closing in on him. The coldness surrounding him was chilling to the bone. His heart was beating so fast that Kíli was sure someone was choking it. It was probably nothing, Kíli told himself repeatedly with as much as courage as he could muster. It must be a panic attack of some sort triggered by his own nerves getting the better of him with all his investigations into Bolg’s attack. Despite his reassurance to himself, however, Kíli quickened his pace and almost broke into a run until he was out of the dungeon. 

Once he was back to the ground level, Kíli stopped to catch his breath. Intriguingly, that sense of foreboding had disappeared. Wondering if he was imagining things now, Kíli resumed his walk back to the Gryffindor Tower, which turned out to be a bit tiring but nothing more.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Haven’t you heard?” Lindir’s excited voice caught Fíli and Kíli off guard when they settled into breakfast at the Gryffindor table.

“Heard what?” asked Kíli. “What are you doing at the Gryffindor table?”

“Says the Gryffindor who spends half of his time at our table.” Lindir rolled his eyes so dramatically that Kíli was afraid they might get stuck. “But honestly, can we focus here? Something serious has happened!”

“If it’s one of Professor Dáin’s monsters again,” said Kíli with a shudder, “I’m not helping no matter what anyone says.”

“No, it’s not Professor Dáin’s stupid creations,” said Lindir exasperatedly. “It’s Burt!”

“Who?” asked Kíli in bewilderment. He certainly did not know a Burt.

“He’s a Slytherin in my year,” said Lindir. “One of the three trolls.”

“One of the three what?”

“Well, it’s just a nickname,” shrugged Lindir, not feeling sorry at all. “Tom, Burt, and William are three Slytherins in my year and probably the thickest people you’ll ever meet. I mean, frankly, I think they’ve got some troll blood but anyway,” his expression turned more serious, “Burt was found petrified outside the Slytherin Common Room last night.”

_ Clink _

Kíli’s fork dropped to the plate, making a loud noise but he paid it no mind. He was simply too shocked to hear the news.

“Are you sure?” Kíli could hear Fíli asking Lindir in earnest. “How was he discovered? Is it confirmed that he’s petrified? How come only he’s petrified?”

“Professor Thorin found him lying in the corridor outside the Slytherin Common Room, rigid as a rock,” said Lindir. “Burt was discovered around midnight so he must have sneaked out of the Common Room. Professor Thorin took him to the Hospital Wing. Both Professor Dwalin and Mister Oín confirmed that it was complete petrification this time.”

“But how?” asked Fíli, his eyes wide as saucers. “I mean, it can’t happen.”

“Well, judging by Burt’s stony face, it is very much happening,” shrugged Lindir. “He’s in the Hospital Wing now if you’re curious. Just keep in mind that Tom and William will be there too and from what I heard, they don’t like Dwarves.”

Once Lindir had turned to talk to Aragorn, who was frowning so hard that he could boast a unibrow, Fíli turned to Kíli, “Blimey, I simply can’t believe…” His voice trailed off when he saw the state Kíli was in. “Are you alright, Kíli? What’s the matter? You look so pale.”

“I think I might have Sensed the attacker again,” whispered Kíli, trying hard to control the tremor in his voice. “I felt something when I was leaving the dungeon last night, you know, after my detention.”

Kíli could feel Fíli’s hand on his arm. “Are you sure it was the attacker?”

“I think so,” said Kíli, his heart beating fast and his palm sweating. “It felt very strange and sinister. I couldn’t stand it. It’s like,” Kíli closed his eyes, trying to relive that intense 5 minutes, “like something dark has surrounded me, choking me so I couldn’t breathe. I felt the walls close in on me. At the time I thought it was because I was afraid of walking alone in the dungeon corridors after dark. I never like them, you know. But now that I come to think of it, it can’t be just my fear. The feeling was too strong and too negative for that.”

Fíli’s grip on his arm became even harder. “So it could have been you,” whispered Fíli, his big blue eyes full of concern and something Kíli could not initially discern. He soon realised that it was fear, something so unusual for Fíli. “You were in close proximity with the attacker and you could have been attacked.”

“I…” Kíli thought hard, “I don’t know. I’m pretty sure the dungeon was deserted. I definitely did not hear anything. Maybe,” Kíli suddenly felt excited, “it’s an object, which makes sense because I honestly have never Sensed anyone’s magic. I mean, even for powerful Wizards, both light and dark, like Professor Gandalf and Azog, I don’t really feel their magic. But I feel magic around inanimate objects. My first experience was at Ollivander’s. If it was a cursed dark object, wouldn’t make a noise, would it? It could be planted there, waiting for someone to stumble upon it.”

“But Lindir said that Burt was found outside the Slytherin Common Room,” said Fíli. “How can that object move from the dungeon to the Slytherin Common Room?”

“Oh, right,” Kíli felt slightly deflated, “I didn’t think of that.” He perked up quickly though. “What if that object was placed in the dungeon corridor at first but later moved closer to the Slytherin Common Room?”

“Well, maybe,” said Fíli slowly but Kíli could tell his friend was not entirely convinced. Fíli simply wanted to spare his feelings. Not willing to back down, Kíli continued, “I mean, if whoever placed the dark object wants to target the Slytherins, maybe he thought the dungeon corridor would be a good place. But since nobody was attacked, he decided to place it where Slytherins would definitely walk past. That’s why Burt was found outside the Slytherin Common Room.”

“It could explain the different locations. But why place it in the dungeon corridors in the first place then? If they want to target the Slytherins, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the best place is the Slytherin Common Room.”

Unfortunately, Fíli was making too much sense for Kíli’s pride to handle. Feeling completely at a loss, Kíli sighed and gave up. Returning to his porridge listlessly, Kíli could not help but feel utterly useless. Sensing his changed mood, Fíli quickly added. “It doesn’t mean it’s impossible though. Maybe the attacker was a bit thick.”

“The only one thick here is me,” snapped Kíli. “You know what, forget about what I said. Maybe I did imagine the whole dark feeling thing.”

“Kíli.” But Fíli’s pleading voice was not enough to drag Kíli out of his bad mood. Looking resolutely at his porridge and not at his friend, Kíli finished breakfast at record speed and got up. He did not speak to Fíli during the whole Defence Against the Dark Arts double period. Luckily, Dwalin was too preoccupied with the incident the night before to notice the frigid atmosphere between the two best friends.

Fíli was the first one to crack. After another quiet History of Magic lesson, Fíli finally spoke during lunch. “I’m really sorry, Kíli. I didn’t mean to disparage your ideas. I…” he struggled to find the right word, “I think too much sometimes. Maybe it is just that simple. I…” he paused, looking pleadingly at Kíli, who suddenly feel idiotic for completely overreacting. 

“No, Fíli,” said Kíli earnestly. “I should be the one apologising. I’m sorry but I totally overreacted. I mean, you were absolutely right. My idea doesn’t hold up. I think I just…” he chewed on his lips, feeling slightly embarrassed, “somehow this feels very personal to me. So I…”

“It’s totally understandable,” said Fíli immediately. “Your experience last night is bound to make you feel that way. Again, I should have realised that. Besides, I mean it when I say that I overthink. Maybe your theory is correct. We should at least take it into consideration unless we have evidence to show otherwise.”

Feeling much better, Kíli beamed at Fíli and they returned to their lunch. Once they were done, however, it was Kíli who first brought the topic back up again. “So, what else do you think could be the explanation?”

“I don’t know.” Fíli sounded frustrated. “I mean, if it’s not moved by someone, it must be something that can move by itself.”

“Can an object be enchanted to move on its own?”

Fíli scratched his head, “I don’t know the spell but it won’t surprise if such spells exist.”

“Maybe,” said Kíli, suddenly struck by a brilliant idea inspired by the Muggle war films he had seen back in the orphanage, “it was planted there but somehow my movement triggered it to move on its own. It could even be chasing me but not fast enough. I got away but Burt accidentally stumbled upon it so it followed Burt and finally petrified him when he stopped to give his password to the Slytherin Common Room!”

“Hmm,” Fíli was more impressed with this theory, “this could explain it all. So we just need to make sure that such a spell exists. I can ask uncle or Professor Dwalin about it.”

“Brilliant,” beamed Kíli before his smile quickly froze, “It still doesn’t explain how that object got there though. I mean, someone must have taken it out of its hiding place. Who’s that person then?”

“We need to identify the object first,” said Fíli firmly. “That way, we can trace it back to the person. This kind of ancient magical object usually has specific links to different Wizarding families. Orcs have a propensity for reptiles such as snakes. Some even say they can talk to snakes and control them. Therefore you’ll most likely find a snake-shaped or inspired magical object crafted by an Orc. Dwarves, on the other hand, prefer metals. Hobbits love food and vegetables while Elves prefer anything in the forest. This could help us narrow down our suspect pool.”

“Are any of those famous objects hidden in Hogwarts?” asked Kíli.

“I don’t know,” sighed Fíli. “This kind of history is never recorded in official books. It’s all myths and legends, passed from generations to generations. I know that the Arkenstone was once rumoured to be stored in Hogwarts ages ago for safekeeping. But it was taken out of the castle soon. So I won’t be surprised if other families have done the same.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over the weekend, the weather had gotten even worse with a good 20 inches of snow and howling wind. The only good thing about this was that Quidditch practice was cancelled, despite Wood’s protest.

“Oliver seriously wants you to train in this weather?” asked Gimli in utter disbelief. “I mean, look at the wind. Blimey, you could all get blown away. He’s really lost his marbles!”

“You know Oliver,” said Kíli who shuddered when he thought of the longing look on Wood’s face despite the horrendous weather, “I actually won’t be surprised if he sneaks out of the castle to practice on his own.”

“Mental, that one,” Gimli shook his head. “Speaking of mental, Professor Dáin wants to ask you if you want to go visit him before you leave for Christmas. He’s clearly still sorry about what happened with the Skrewts last year.”

Kíli snorted. He did not believe Dáin really felt sorry for he would have otherwise stopped creating ghastly dangerous hybrid animals. Gimli, however, seemed to believe in Dáin’s sincerity. “Seriously, it won’t be like last time. Professor Dáin’s gotten much better this year. Some of the creatures he takes care of can be fascinating.”

“Er,” Kíli tried his best to stall the question, “let me check with Fíli first.”

“What?” sniggered Gimli, “you’ve got to check with your boyfriend before you can go? Come on, Kíli. I’ll invite Fíli too.”

Unfortunately for Kíli, Fíli was too polite to decline Dáin’s invitation. 

“Why did you say yes?” hissed Kíli after Fíli agreed to Gimli’s proposition during Sunday’s dinner. “I don’t want to get devoured by Professor Dáin’s mad beasts as a nice juicy Christmas feast.”

“It won’t be like that,” said Fíli patiently. When Kíli still looked vexed, he quickly changed the subject. “I have asked Professor Dwalin, by the way.” He had to lower his voice because Gimli and Ori were just sitting next to them discussing their visits to Dáin’s, apparently more excited about the prospect of spending an afternoon tea with growling monsters than Kíli. “He said that such spells definitely exist. I probed him a bit further and he said that to achieve the effect we described, it requires advanced magical prowess that Hogwarts students usually do not possess.”

“Does he make the connection between our question and Burt’s attack?” asked Kíli anxiously. He had good reason to be nervous. He was already at the scene of the crime for the first attack. If word got out that he was somehow linked to the second attack, Kíli doubted he could live to see the rising sun the next day. Azog, who was still prowling the castle with increasing aggression and frustration, likely due to the continued petrified state Bolg was in, would certainly be more than happy to deal Kíli the final blow.

“I’m not sure,” said Fíli. When he saw the horrified look on Kíli’s face, he quickly added, “even if he does make the connection, Professor Dwalin won’t say a thing. He’s discreet like that, not to mention he won’t want to put you in trouble. You are his favourite student, after all.”

“But I’m not,” said Kíli, half elated half concerned, “Professor Dwalin has taught hundreds of students and I’m just…”

“His favourite,” said Fíli firmly. “He’s taken a liking to you since he first met you. I can tell. I mean, who can blame him? You’re clever, passionate, loyal, fun, and naturally gifted at Defence Against the Dark Arts.”

“I…” Kíli blushed so fiercely that he thought his face might be on fire. Thankfully, he was rescued by Gimli.

“We’ve decided to go tomorrow after the Defence Against the Dark Arts class,” said Gimli. “The snow’s supposed to stop tonight and we’ve got Astronomy Tuesday night. Mahal knows we need a good night’s sleep after battling Professor Dáin’s beast. I’m joking!” He added quickly when he saw Kíli’s face. “It’ll be fun. I promise!”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Too soon for Kíli’s liking, he found himself trudging in ankle-deep snow on a cold yet bright Monday afternoon to Dáin’s cabin to certain doom. Gimli and Ori’s excitement and Fíli’s sniggering certainly did nothing to help.

“Come on in, lads.” Dáin’s wide smile greeted them at the door and they all filed in quickly, eager to get away from the biting cold. Thankfully, Dáin’s hut was warm and cosy, despite its harsh exterior. The large rug on the floor felt so soft that Kíli had to wonder which animal’s hairs were used to make it. The walls were decorated with herbs and animal hairs that gave an interesting smell. What Kíli was most grateful for, of course, was the crackling fire and…

A large bird that looked like an eagle was sitting in the far corner of the room. The colour of its feathers was shockingly beautiful. When it sensed Kíli and his friends’ presence, it raised its head with its crest held tightly back and its eyes pinned before flapping its large wings apprehensively. 

Kíli nearly gasped when he realised that it was not a bird after all. It had got the body and legs of a horse, previously hidden beneath its large wings. Instead of hooves, however, this half-bird half-horse creature had sharp talons instead, making it look decidedly deadly.

“No need to worry, no need to worry,” chanted Dáin as he rushed to the creature’s side to stroke its feature, who nuzzled its head affectionately against Dáin’s palm, though it still looked very much on guard. “It’s just a Hippogriff. This little fella’s injured himself a couple of days ago so I reckoned he wouldn’t mind a little comfort and warmth during the holiday season while he’s healing.”

Next to him, Fíli, Gimli, and Ori all relaxed visibly. Kíli, on the other hand, was still on edge. He had no idea what a Hippogriff was and this particular one still did not look very benign.

“Just bow your head while keeping eye contact. Don’t look scared and don’t blink,” whispered Fíli as he, Gimli, and Ori all did the same. Hastily following suit, mostly because he did not wish to stand out in front of this Hippogriff, Kíli copied Fíli and was relieved to find the Hippogriff relax and bow its head too after inspecting them haughtily for a while. Beaming widely, Gimli rushed forward next to Dáin to stroke the Hippogriff.

“Come on, Kíli,” said Fíli with a smile. “Hippogriffs are not dangerous once you’ve gained their trust. Come and take a look.”

As it turned out, Fíli was right. The moment Kíli was closer to the Hippogriff, he realised that it was not a dark or dangerous creature because he felt peaceful, calm yet very strong, a feeling, though originally faint, soon intensified when he laid his hand on the Hippogriff’s gorgeous feathers.

“Fíli,” whispered Kíli in an urgent tone that caught Fíli’s attention immediately.

“What’s the matter?” Fíli whispered back while Gimli and Ori were engaged in conversation with Dáin.

“I think,” said Kíli with barely-contained fervour, “I think I just Sensed the magic of the Hippogriff!”

Kíli felt Fíli’s firm grip on his arm as his friend could not use his voice to express his enthusiasm. “Really?” Fíli’s eyes were wide as saucers. “What did it feel like?”

“It was very nice. I felt relaxed, almost protected. The magic is firm but not overbearing.” He smiled at the Hippogriff who lazily wiped its fearsome beak against Kíli’s palm, “I think I like Hippogriffs.”

Fíli laughed, “I’ve told you that not all magical creatures are dangerous or deranged. Some are really nice and great companions to Wizards.”

“Hmm,” nodded Kíli as he kept stroking the Hippogriff, who clearly enjoyed the attention as its feathers were all fluffed out, “I think I’ll rethink about taking Care of Magical Creatures next year if we have more magical creatures like this in class.”

“Professor Dáin can’t show us really dangerous ones for the first couple of years,” said Fíli. “Not that he hasn’t tried but he was outvoted by all the other professors, thank Mahal. The creatures we’ll study will be mostly harmless and quite fun actually. The dangerous ones are reserved for N.E.W.T. students who are serious about magical creatures with enough knowledge and magic to protect themselves.”

This managed to convince Kíli. Dáin might be completely delusional about the danger levels of magical beasts but at least the other professors were there to keep him in check. Kíli doubted that he would want a career in magical creatures after knowing Dáin but some basic knowledge in the area surely would not hurt. Besides, with his recently-improved Sense, Kíli could not wait to get to practice the skills on more magical creatures and see how each differed from the other.

“Anyone like some tea?” asked Dáin and everyone responded with great enthusiasm. To Kíli’s surprise, Dáin was quite a good cook.

“I made these biscuits,” said Dáin as he laid out the tea and ginger biscuits. “I don’t usually bother to go all the way to the Great Hall for food.”

“Are you staying here for Christmas as usual?” asked Gimli amidst mouthfuls of biscuits.

“Of course. Can’t leave these lovely creatures on their own on Christmas, can I? What if they feel lonely? It’s Christmas, after all. They’ll miss their daddy.” The look on Dáin’s face could only be described as sappy. Behind him, Ori looked slightly embarrassed while Fíli fought hard not to laugh.

“Where are you spending your winter holidays, Kíli?” asked Dáin as he pushed another tray of biscuit in front of Kíli. He seemed to feel genuinely sorry about the Skrewts’ episode and was trying his best to make up for it with Kíli, mostly by stuffing Kíli to death.

“I…” Before Kíli could finish, Fíli interrupted him, “I’ve already invited Kíli to spend the holidays with us.” He turned to look at Kíli with big hopeful wide eyes that Kíli could hardly say no.

“Yeah, I’ll spend the holidays in Erebor,” Kíli nodded, which brought such a triumphant smile to Fíli’s face that Kíli almost chuckled. “I reckon it’ll be quite nice.”

“It’s going to be bloody amazing!” Gimli said eagerly. “I once spent a Christmas in Erebor with dad and it was magical. Everything is decorated for the festive season and it’s breathtaking. You’ll have a great time!”

“Do you think I should tell Professor Dwalin about my improvement?” asked Kíli on their way back, their pockets filled with sweets from Dáin. It was almost dinner time but everyone was full from their afternoon tea with Dáin so Kíli doubted they would go back to the Great Hall for dinner.

“Of course!” said Fíli. “He’ll be thrilled to hear your progress! Maybe you’ll progress to Sense wizards soon.”

“I don’t know about that,” smiled Kíli though he secretly hoped that Fíli was right. “I think I only Sensed the Hippogriff because it has very strong magic. I doubt I can Sense the magic of ordinary magical creatures like a…”

“A flobberworm?” supplied Fíli helpfully and Kíli nodded. “Exactly. I felt nothing when I worked with the flobberworms during my first detention. Well, I did feel a little sick at first but I think it’s just from collecting the pus.”

“I’m sure you can keep working on it,” said Fíli confidently. “You’ll have loads of time to practice when you get to Erebor. We have many old tomes of some lost magic so I bet you can find a couple on how to develop the Sense. We can even find you some magical creatures to practice with. We have so many Nifflers that we can lend you a couple.”

“Nifflers?”

“Oh yeah, they’re little treasure hunters that can be extremely useful in mining. They’re naturally attracted to treasure so we use them to detect which part of the mountains contains precious metals. But nobody works in the holiday season so the Nifflers are generally just locked in their houses. We can borrow a couple. You’ll love them when you see them.”

If Kíli had any reservations about going to Erebor for Christmas, this cleared it all. He was extremely grateful for Fíli’s help. The prospect of unlimited mouth-watering meals certainly helped too. The only concern nagging Kíli was Thorin’s inevitable presence at Christmas but Kíli was determined to push it to the back of his mind. His relationship with Thorin had certainly improved to the point where they could tolerate each other for a short period of time. Hopefully, with Fíli and Dís’s company, they would get through the holidays with no bloodshed.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kíli had to wait until Thursday to see Dwalin again, with an Astronomy lesson on Tuesday and his last detention with Thorin on Wednesday. He was, therefore, more than eager when he arrived at Dwalin’s office on Thursday afternoon.

“... of Azog,” Dwalin’s annoyed voice could be heard even from outside, which made Kíli stop. After debating with himself for a second, he crept silently and pressed his ear to the door. “He’s roaming around the castle, terrifying the students and disrupting the teachings.”

“You think I haven’t?” Thorin’s frustration was palpable. “I have discussed with Gandalf more than once but he refused to send Azog home. You know him, an old sentimental fool, blabbing about a father worried sick about his son.”

“Then we must keep an eye on him,” said Dwalin firmly. “We can’t let him wander around in the castle like this. Don’t yeh think he’s after something? I mean, I know he wants to be here for his son. That’s his prerogative. But he spends so little time with the kid. I know there’s little one can do with a petrified lad but still.”

“I will speak to Gandalf about it. I can’t tail him until the term’s over but I plan to stay here over the holidays to keep an eye on Azog.”

“Yeh can’t skip Christmas dinner!” cried Dwalin. “Dís will kill yeh. Besides, yeh can’t let a miserable sod like Azog ruin your holidays.”

“I’ll stop by for Christmas dinner and maybe stay overnight at Erebor,” sighed Thorin. “But I’m coming back here right afterwards. I don’t trust Azog on his own in the castle when I almost know for sure that he’s got his own agenda.”

“Ask a House Elf to keep tabs on him when yeh’re away then,” suggested Dwalin. “Yeh can’t follow him 24/7 but those House Elves can.”

“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. I’ll summon a House Elf then,” said Thorin thoughtfully. “Azog will never go anywhere unaccompanied from now on. A House Elf will follow him the moment he leaves the Hospital Wing. I bet you he’s going to regret spending time in Hogwarts now.”

“That will be for the best,” sighed Dwalin with relief. “Speaking of Christmas, I heard that Fíli had invited Kíli over to spend the entire break in Erebor.”

“And?”

“Well, I just want to make sure yeh won’t give Kíli a hard time. He’s a good lad, yeh know? And it’s Christmas.”

Kíli strained his ears even harder as he waited with bated breath to hear Thorin’s response to that.

“He’s alright,” said Thorin in a somewhat reluctant tone. “I still think he’s too impulsive, which can be a bad influence on Fíli who cannot afford to act like that. Some of his marks are still unsatisfactory. But at least he’s loyal and Fíli seems quite fond of him so I suppose I can tolerate him for a couple of days in Erebor around Christmas.”

“That’s hardly fair. Yeh really are too hard on the lad,” said Dwalin indignantly. “He complements Fíli, who needs someone cheerful in his life.”

“That’s why I haven’t intervened in their friendship. But anyway, I must get going. I need to inform Gandalf of my decision right away.”

When Kíli heard the sound of approaching footsteps, there was no time for Kíli to think so he did what Thorin had just accused him of. He acted on his impulse and quickly hid behind the tapestry next to Dwalin’s office, which proved to be a stupid idea.

“Kíli, is that yeh?” Dwalin’s half confused half-amused voice made Kíli’s face burn and his head spin. Moving slowly out of his poorly-chosen hiding spot, he kept his eyes on the ground, not willing to look up and see the disappointed looks on Dwalin and particularly Thorin’s face.

“Hmph,” snorted Thorin who did not sound too angry so Kíli chanced a quick look. Indeed, Thorin had an “I’ve told you so” look on his face but thankfully no sign of anger. “I believe he’s here for you so I’ll leave you to it.”

“Come on in, lad.” Dwalin waved Kíli into his study before asking. “What was that for by the way?”

“Didn’t want to be caught eavesdropping,” muttered Kíli, which made Dwalin laugh. “Yeh better work on yer disguising skills then, lad.” His tone softened when he saw what must have been the mortified looks on Kíli’s face, “cheer up, lad. Nobody’s angry with yeh. Now, yeh were outside my office so I assume yeh need to see me?”

Kíli debated which topic he should bring up first. Thorin’s words, however, were too fresh on his mind to be ignored. “I just heard Professor Thorin…”

“Ah,” said Dwalin before Kíli could finish, “don’t worry about it, Kíli. Thorin has always been like that. He has a particularly high standard on people, both himself and others. Fíli’s living proof of what happens under Thorin’s tutelage. What he’s said of yeh is nothing to be concerned about.” He put a reassuring hand on Kíli’s back. “He always finds fault in people. He’s also extremely protective of Fíli so he will always hold you on a much higher standard. In fact, what he said is almost positive coming from Thorin.”

Kíli thought about it for a second. What Dwalin had just told him did make sense. To some extent, he knew Thorin was right. Compared to Fíli, he was indeed impulsive, often acting on his instincts rather than rational thoughts. Kíli wondered if this was really such a bad thing. He knew that for someone like Fíli, this was a detrimental trait. He, however, was never going to be the de facto leader of an entire race. Surely he could afford to be somewhat spontaneous. Besides, he kind of liked this level of freedom. The magical world, in his opinion, was a bit backwards in that area. It was like living with the posh upper-classes, which, while fun for a while, could also be quite suffocating.

When Kíli said nothing, Dwalin prompted him gently, “is there something else yeh wish to discuss?”

“Right,” Kíli remembered the main reason that propelled him to visit Dwalin in the first place. He then proceeded to tell Dwalin everything about his newly-improved Sense.

“That’s wonderful!” Dwalin clapped his hand on Kíli’s back so enthusiastically that he almost knocked Kíli over. “This is definitely progress. Fíli’s right. There are some ancient tomes in Erebor that will be very helpful to yeh. After some more practice during the holidays, I bet yer Sense will enhance. We should test yeh more on that once yeh’re back from Erebor. I’m sure Dáin can provide yeh with all sorts of magical creatures to try on. Oh, I’ll be there too so it’ll be safe,” he added hastily. Kíli made a face before muttering a sheepish thanks. “But not all of them are bad. Some can be downright magical. I bet yeh’ve never met a unicorn before.”

“A unicorn?” Kíli’s mouth was gaping open. He knew he should not be so surprised by every single discovery in the magical world but he simply could not help himself. Unicorns!

“Yes!” The unusual dreamy look on Dwalin’s face only added to Kíli’s intrigue and excitement. “They’re one of the most magical creatures yeh’ll ever find. So unbelievably beautiful, pure, and powerful, unicorns are a wonder to behold. I can’t imagine what yer Sense will pick up. It’s going to be amazing.”

Such a promise made Kíli beam so broadly that he forgot everything else. It was not until he had reached Gryffindor Common Room that he remembered the conversation between Thorin and Dwalin about Azog.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally Christmas! This time in Erebor no less.

“So let me get this straight,” said Fíli slowly after Kíli had told him everything he had overheard at breakfast the next day, “both uncle and Dwalin suspect that Azog’s up to something and he’s been wandering around in the castle unaccompanied?”

Kíli nodded and Fíli had to close his eyes briefly before crying, “What on earth is Professor Gandalf thinking? Azog is a former Death Eater! He should never be left alone in the castle. Who knows what he’s up to?”

“I know,” agreed Kíli. “Professor Thorin sounds pretty frustrated with the Headmaster too. But hopefully, he can persuade Professor Gandalf to at least allow the House Elves to tail Azog.” He looked at Fíli. “What do you reckon Azog’s after though?”

Fíli bit his bottom lip and frowned. “I know uncle’s been suspecting Azog for all this hype around the Arkenstone. But even if he’s not behind all these rumours, he’ll definitely go after the Arkenstone.”

“Does he want the Arkenstone for himself,” asked Kíli, “you know, to give himself more power?”

“That’s certainly one possibility,” nodded Fíli, “which, honestly, is worrisome enough on its own. But I think uncle is more uneasy about the possibility that Azog might seek the Arkenstone to resurrect the Dark Lord.”

“What?” exclaimed Kíli in such a loud voice that a couple of people near them turned around to see what was going on.

“Shh,” hissed Fíli as he clamped his hand on Kíli’s lips while looking around carefully. Kíli, on the other hand, blushed slightly. “Sorry. But what do you mean by resurrecting the Dark Lord? Wasn’t he killed in the last Wizarding War?”

“I never said he was killed,” said Fíli in a whisper. “He was certainly defeated in the last Wizarding War but his body was never found. The same happened to a couple of his high-ranking Death Eaters, such as Smaug Drake. There’re many theories around what really happened but the thing is, nobody knows for sure. In fact, people were still anxious during the first couple of years after the Final Battle of the last Wizarding War, fearing that the Dark Lord and his most feared Death Eaters would come back with a vengeance. But that had not happened so people slowly began to relax and embrace the fact that the Dark Lord was indeed defeated.”

“But one can’t just vanish into thin air,” said Kíli, feeling thoroughly confused. Was this another form of magic that he had absolutely no idea of?

“No, they don’t,” said Fíli. Kíli was not sure if he was relieved or more scared to hear this. “There are some basic rules in magic. One, nothing disappears into nothing. Things can be transformed, expelled from the current space to another location, but never wiped out into nothingness. Second, nobody can bring back the Dead. Some forms of the dead may remain in this world or return using certain spells. But they cannot fully come back to life if they’re killed.”

“But you just said…”

“This only means one thing, the Dark Lord is not dead. He was indeed defeated and maybe constrained somewhere so he cannot terrorise the Wizarding World anymore. But he’s not dead, which means he can be brought back. I won’t be surprised if Azog is after the Arkenstone for that reason too.”

Kíli had to take some time to digest all that information. He had never thought that the peaceful time that they were experiencing now was all temporary. Somehow, he had a premonition that something dark and sinister was brewing underneath this calm facade. If he was going to name one culprit, he was going to pick Azog without any hesitation. “So, you think he’s going to use this as an opportunity to snoop around?”

“He certainly won’t pass up such an opportunity,” nodded Fíli. “From what uncle has told me, Azog is not all brawn and no brains like what everyone seems to believe. He’s ruthless and extremely cunning. He must be quite pleased that Bolg was attacked if I’m honest. Actually, had Bolg not been his son, I’d say he staged the attack.”

That was a scary thought that made Kíli shiver. He simply could not imagine a father doing that to his own son, even if said father was Azog. “I thought he was concerned for Bolg.”

“Well, maybe he is. But he is probably still glad that such an opportunity has presented itself. I mean, his rationale could well very be that now that my son’s already hurt, might as well make the most out of the bad situation and get the Arkenstone.”

“I never thought I’d feel sorry for Bolg,” sighed Kíli. “A father like that sounds awful.”

“I agree,” said Fíli. “But the worst part is, with a father like this, Bolg will most likely turn into another Azog. Sometimes it’s not just about blood; it’s all about the family.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the Christmas season rapidly approaching, Kíli was so excitedly that he could barely sleep. The castle was decorated beautifully as usual. Live fairies were hiding inside the many Christmas trees, courtesy of Radagast Brown, the Caretaker, occasionally showing their faces and colourful wings. The suits of armour were charmed to sing Christmas carols, which made Gimli snigger every time he walked past one. Magically-hidden mistletoes were also popping up everywhere, causing excitement and embarrassment in equal measure.

“Everything alright?” asked Kíli when he saw Lindir practically running into the Great Hall and throwing himself next to him at the Ravenclaw table. “You look like you’ve just been battling an army of Blast-Ended Skrewts before being chased by a Chimera.”

“It’s worse,” gasped Lindir who fought hard to catch his breath, “I’ve just escaped Tom,” he grimaced before adding reluctantly, “under the mistletoe.”

“You mean Tom the troll of your year?” laughed Kíli while Lindir looked like he was about to pass out or be sick. “How did you end up under the mistletoe with him? Or is there something you’re not telling us?”

“Oh, shut it!” Lindir snapped, which made Kíli laugh even harder. “I didn’t have any bloody choice, did I? I accidentally stumbled upon Tom, looking more confused than usual, which is saying something, under the mistletoe. I couldn’t get out because they were magically enchanted so I had to…” He looked positively ill at that point. Fíli looked concerned and sympathetic while Kíli was fighting hard not to topple from his seat from laughter, “well, you know…”

“Lock lips with him?” suggested Kíli amidst bouts of laughter. Fíli shot him a disapproving look before saying in a soothing tone. “It’s okay. It’s over now. How did Tom react to it? I hope he didn’t give you any trouble.”

“Actually, no,” frowned Lindir. “He just sort of stood there looking lost, which was surprising because he would have beaten me into a pulp for that under normal circumstances. Oh well,” he shrugged, “he was probably too shocked to think straight and, honestly, who can blame him? I still don’t know if this whole thing is just a bad dream.”

“Whose idea was it to put enchanted mistletoes around the castle?” asked Kíli, wiping tears from his eyes. Fíli shrugged. “No idea. It’s a bit of a Hogwarts tradition actually. I know uncle absolutely hates it and has asked Professor Gandalf to allow him to blast them away. But Professor Gandalf insists that it’s part of Hogwarts history and can help promote unity between Houses. With the support of people like Professor Bilbo, uncle was outvoted.”

It was hardly surprising that Thorin found this tradition annoying, thought Kíli with a grin. He had to agree with Thorin on this one though. Apart from providing entertainment values, Kíli failed to see the point of the mistletoe. Encounters like that between Lindir and Tom were hardly conducive to stronger inter-House bonds.

“Have you packed everything you need for the Christmas break?” asked Fíli, “We’re leaving next Monday morning on the Hogwarts Express. I reckon you need to take all of your stuff with you since you’ll be gone until the start of next term.”

“Er…” The truth was Kíli had not done any packing. The thing that worried him more, however, was what to get Fíli and Dwalin for Christmas, a task hard enough already since neither lacked anything. But this year, after their birthday gift to him, Kíli found it almost impossible to get something that could pay them back. He knew that neither Fíli nor Dwalin would mind if he gave them something simple. But Kíli hated being indebted to someone, even someone as close as Fíli and Dwalin. His pride simply would not allow it.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time Monday morning had arrived, Kíli had barely managed to catch the Hogwarts Express with his stuff haphazardly packed in his trunk. Only a few stayed behind in the castle, including the invalids like Bolg and Burt, and Azog.

“Uncle will keep an eye on him,” said Fíli confidently. “He’ll remain in Hogwarts until Christmas Eve when he’ll come to Erebor with Professor Dwain. We’re going to celebrate together this year. Mum always says Professor Dwalin and Balin will starve themselves to death if they’re left to their own devices.”

“Are you sure your mum and uncle won’t mind me intrud…” asked Kíli for the umpteenth time but he was quickly cut off by Fíli. “Honestly, Kíli, it’s fine. I’ve already told you. Mum loves having you there. I think she always regrets the fact that she didn’t get to have another child with dad. Uncle’s fine too. He’s only going to be there for two days anyway.”

Kíli fidgeted on his seat. Ever since he had agreed to spend Christmas at Erebor, he had been stressing about the gift exchange. He had thankfully managed to get gifts for Fíli, Dwalin, and Dís. But he was not sure if he was supposed to give Thorin a gift too. It would probably be rude if he did not, seeing that Thorin was, after all, the head of the family. But what if Thorin did not give him anything. It would be utterly embarrassing if he had received nothing from Thorin but had given him something on Christmas Day. 

“Don’t worry,” said Fíli as if reading Kíli’s thought, “it’s just a small get-together. Nothing formal. Everyone’s going to be very relaxed. It’s Christmas, after all, and this is for families to reunite. And before you ask,” he looked Kíli straight in the eye, “you are family!”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They were greeted by Dís who looked overjoyed to see them at King’s Cross Station. Giving each one of them a smothering hug, she quickly got hold of their luggage and Apparated them directly into the Hall of Erebor. 

“Leave the luggage,” said Dís when Kíli tried to haul his trunk up the never-ending stairs of Erebor, “someone will take care of it. You must be famished! Come, I’ve prepared some dinner for you.”

Dinner was scrumptious even compared to Hogwarts food, which was more than delicious. Kíli ate so much that he could barely walk afterwards. Smiling fondly at him, Dís led him to his room, which was the one he used to stay at. “Have a good night’s sleep, darling. I’m sure you’ll have a busy time tomorrow.”

And she was right. The next few days were so hectic that Kíli barely had time to breathe. Being the current and future leader of Dwarves, Fíli and Dís were invited to all the Christmas celebrations within Erebor and they brought Kíli with them. Dís proudly introduced Kíli to all the prominent Dwarf families as Fíli’s best friend, which Kíli was extremely grateful for. He could tell that not all of them seemed convinced but they had all remained respectfully silent under Dís’s watchful eyes.

“They will come to respect you once they see how good a wizard you are,” said Fíli with an encouraging smile. Kíli said nothing. He was no stranger to people’s prejudices, after all, no matter how much it pained him. Despite the fact that he was Fíli’s best friend, he was still a half-blood Dwarf orphan with no money nor influence under his name. Why would any of those Dwarf aristocrats take him seriously?

“Fíli’s right,” said Dís firmly. “We Dwarves may be cautious at first but we respect loyalty and strength. You are a loyal friend and a bright young wizard with great potential, not to mention that you are the son of Frerin! You are a Durin. Whatever reservation they have will go away once they get to know you. If, however, someone’s been stupid enough to slight you, I’ll see to it that they’re never welcome in Erebor again.”

“Thank you, Mrs Arken,” said Kíli, feeling very touched. “But I can’t possibly create such a rift between you and…”

“Oh, nonsense,” waved Dís majestically, looking more like Thorin’s sister than ever. “Whoever dares to do such a thing does not deserve our friendship. But enough of that. Why don’t we decorate the Christmas Tree so it’s ready before dinner tomorrow? I can’t wait for my dear brother to come back. I’d normally leave it to the House Elves but this is too important to mess up.”

Knowing that Dís had just shown him such kindness, Kíli had to bite his tongue on the comments of House Elves. He was still shocked that the idea of slavery was so widely accepted in the Wizarding World that nobody even questioned it. But that was neither the time nor the place. Next to him, Fíli let out a quiet sigh of relief when Kíli simply followed Dís to the sitting room without any argument.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By late afternoon on Christmas Eve, everything was ready. The Christmas tree was decorated perfectly, with both magical and Muggle trinkets, and the food was ready, all cooked by Dís who had been up since 6 o’clock in the morning. That gave her some time to get herself ready as well. Her hair and beard were intricately braided. The dress she wore for the occasion was a deep rich royal blue that matched the sapphires on her beard beautifully. Fíli wore a lush robe of similar colour only a shade lighter, which brought out his sky blue eyes. Kíli himself had nothing to compare, of course. Thankfully, Dís had one of Vilir’s old robes adjusted to fit Kíli. It was a vibrant green colour, which Kíli was extremely fond of. 

“You can keep it if you want,” said Fíli when he stopped by to help Kíli get ready. “Mum said that you need some nice dress robes and nobody’s going to use dad’s clothes.”

“But I can’t possibly take your dad’s clothes,” cried Kíli. “They belong to your mum. Surely she keeps them as part of the memory.”

“I think she did at the beginning,” said Fíli. “But as time goes on, it almost becomes too much for her. It’s like opening an old wound every time she sees them. She’s more than happy to see them put into good use and out of our wardrobe.”

“You can still wear them though,” insisted Kíli but Fíli simply laughed. “I’ve got enough of my own that I don’t need anything more. I mean, I wouldn’t mind dad’s clothes but well,” he looked slightly embarrassed, “it’s not usual for me to wear, you know…”

“Second-hand clothes.” Kíli understood only too well. It would not do for the heir of Thorin to wear anything that was the best and most expensive. “I understand. Well, if you’re absolutely sure. I just feel bad because I’m already intruding upon your hospitality enough this holiday season.”

“Please, Kíli,” cried Fíli, “it’s no trouble at all. We love having you here! It makes it more like a family event than just mum and myself. Come on, let me braid your hair.”

Taming Kíli’s wild hair, as it turned out, was a lot harder than either of them had anticipated. Kíli himself never bothered because he failed to see the point of spending time on something that was going to be messed up later anyway. He knew from Fíli that braiding one’s hair and beard was extremely important for a Dwarf, a task so sacred in fact that it was only reserved for close family members or lovers. It was the thought that Fíli regarded him as part of his family that helped Kíli endure the whole ordeal.

“Okay, done,” Fíli sighed and shook his arms with satisfaction, his face pink from all the work. Kíli looked in the mirror and had to admit that he looked very smart. Even though he had no beard, his hair was tame and shiny with beautiful emerald beads that matched his robe. 

“Oh, my dear boy,” cried Dís dramatically when she saw Kíli walk into the dining room in his new robes and nicely braided hair, “you look so handsome tonight! Come,” she waved Kíli over and inspected him head to toe before engulfing him in a tight embrace. “You truly are your father’s son. I wish those old snobby gits could see you now. None of them would ever doubt you again, my love!”

Kíli’s face heated up furiously but he was saved from the trouble of replying by the arrival of Thorin, Dwalin, and Balin. Despite their journey, they were all dressed in their finest clothes. It seemed that blue was the family colour because Thorin was dressed in a robe of similar colour. Dwalin and Balin’s robes were equally lush but with more subtle colour. All of their hair and beards were carefully braided with opulent jewellery to honour the occasion.

“Blimey, laddie,” barked Dwalin as he patted Kíli fondly on the back, “don’t yeh look dashing today!”

“He does, doesn’t he?” Dís beamed and ruffled Kíli’s hair carefully but fondly. “Like a proper handsome Dwarf that he is! I wish those stupid lords could see him now.”

“What’s up with them now?” asked Dwalin, quirking an eyebrow. Dís then proceeded to tell him Kíli’s introduction to the upper class in the Dwarf world.

“Bigoted idiots,” muttered Dwalin while Thorin shot him a disapproving look. “It’s true. I know yeh have to live with them and even pretend to like them. But it doesn’t change the fact that the majority of them have nothing but a good old name and tons of gold.” He turned to Kíli, “don’t worry about them. Once they see yeh for the powerful wizard yeh truly are, they’ll flock towards ya, either to recruit yeh or marry their daughters to ya.”

Kíli spluttered while Dís and Balin laughed. Neither Fíli nor Thorin joined in. While Fíli looked too shocked to react, Thorin looked half annoyed, half thoughtful.

“Professor Dwalin,” cried Fíli after he had recovered himself, “Kíli’s way too young to…”

“Oh, not too young to be considered in a marital alliance,” winked Dwalin mischievously. “I assure yeh that some of them will want to parade their daughters in front of Kíli with the hope that one of them might turn out to be his One. Even if that doesn’t work out, they won’t lose the opportunity to negotiate a political marriage until Kíli finds his One.”

“But, but,” stuttered Fíli until Thorin interrupted him. “That is enough, Fíli. What Dwalin said is not unheard of and I thought you’d act with more composure.” He turned to Kíli, whose face still felt hot enough to fry at least a dozen eggs, with an unreadable expression on his face. “If you do wish to pursue this, I can negotiate with them on your behalf. We are, after all, the closest family to you in the Dwarf world and such negotiations can only be done between Dwarves.”

“No!” cried Kíli, a little too loud and he made a face. “I mean, thank you, Professor Thorin. But I have no wish to enter such a relationship. I will only marry for love.”

Next to him, Kíli could see that Fíli looked relieved. Dwalin and Dís exchanged a knowing look before smirking at Fíli. Frankly, Kíli was just as bewildered as Balin at the exchange but his sole focus was on Thorin as he waited nervously for the older Dwarf’s reaction.

“Hmm,” Thorin did not seem at all surprised by Kíli’s response. He looked inscrutable as ever, “if that is your wish. I do advise to consider carefully your future in the Wizarding world. Your days in Hogwarts will come to an end, at which time you will have to forge your own paths in our world. Being an orphan and only half a Dwarf, you’re at a disadvantage, as you have undoubtedly witnessed yourself. An advantageous marriage will clear a lot of obstacles for you.”

Before Kíli could retort back, Dís swiftly intervened, “right, but before we jump too much into the future, let’s deal with the present where a large Christmas feast is calling our names. Come on, gentlemen and lady. Let’s get eating.”

The Christmas dinner was the most lavish feast Kíli had ever seen. From steamy warm tomato soup, the massive turkey roasted to perfection, large chunks of cured ham, piles after piles of Brussels sprouts, sizeable blocks of creamy cheese, the beautifully wrapped bacon and sausage rolls, the steaming chocolate Christmas pudding, the golden-brown mince pies, the colourful fruity trifles, all the way to jugs after jugs of strong ale that made everyone tipsy, Kíli had not stopped eating since the start of the feast. Still, his appetite was nothing compared to the legendary Dwarf ones. Kíli watched with his mouth open as Dwalin popped the bacon sausage rolls one after another as if they were nothing more than sweet candies. Even Balin, whose hair and beard was completely white, managed to eat a quarter of a turkey while imbibing at least three mugs of ale before taking a short break. 

With the consumption of good food and alcohol came the lifted spirits and a much more carefree atmosphere. Dwalin was the first to break into song, to which Dís soon joined in the dancing. Balin did not participate but watched on with a fond smile like an affable grandfather. After shooting Thorin several tentative looks, Fíli finally succumbed to the temptation and joined Dwain and his mother in the singing and dancing. Kíli laughed and watched with fascination as Fíli moved his body with ease and outstanding footwork that Kíli had no idea his friend was capable of. It seemed, however, that this was a Dwarf thing for Dís was an equally good dancer. 

The only one not joining in the festivities was Thorin, who did, however, appear more relaxed than Kíli had ever seen him. A fond smile could be seen on his handsome face as he watched his family and friends thoroughly enjoy themselves.

“Will you not dance, sir?” asked Kíli, suddenly emboldened by this new contented Thorin. He had to blame it on the alcohol too. He had never had such strong ale before, which was loosening up his tongue more than usual.

Thorin gave Kíli a look that would have frightened Kíli to death before. But not today. When Kíli showed no sign of backing down, Thorin signed and said, not unkindly, “I choose not to engage in such frivolities. I’m perfectly content to observe from the side but have no wish to participate.”

“But sure formalities can give away to celebrations at Christmas time,” said Kíli. “You’re with families and friends now, sir, people who love you more than anything else in the world. It’ll make them extremely happy to see you enjoy yourself amongst them.”

“I am enjoying myself amongst them,” said Thorin as he calmly lit his pipe, took a long draught, and leaned back comfortably into his chair. “We simply choose different means and my family respects that.”

Kíli chewed his lips as he thought hard on another way to convince Thorin. For reasons beyond his comprehension, he was determined to get Thorin to loosen up and enjoy himself tonight. “Please, sir, there’s no harm in such activities. Besides, Fíli told me that you’re a great singer!” which, of course, was not true so Kíli prayed to all the deities above that Thorin was indeed a good singer, “I’ve been dying to hear your voice since then.” He looked Thorin straight in the eyes with the most pleading and innocent look he could muster given the influence of alcohol he was under. To his great surprise, this seemed to have worked because Thorin looked half thoughtful, half uncomfortable. Exhilarated with his progress, Kíli pressed even further with a long, drawn-out “pleeeease”.

“Fine,” Thorin had finally cracked, “just one song.”

“Yayyy!” Kíli was so overjoyed that he actually jumped from his seat and rushed forward to Thorin’s side. Overcome by a sudden urge of insanity, Kíli threw himself into Thorin’s broad chest while wrapping his hands around his Potions professor’s waist. He could feel Thorin tense under his arms before relaxing slowly and eventually, returning his embrace albeit tentatively.

Luckily, everyone else was too busy in their celebrations to notice this slightly awkward exchange between Kíli and Thorin, except maybe Dís for Kíli thought he caught sight of her sending them a knowing smile. Everyone did, however, stopped when Thorin rose from his seat and cleared his throat.

“Hem,” Thorin looked somewhat constipated when everyone’s eyes fell on him. Trying to show maximum moral support, Kíli gave Thorin a dazzlingly radiant smile, which appeared to work, for Thorin looked more at ease. “I’d like to sing a song to add to the festivities. It’s been a while since I last performed so I’m happy to take request.”

“Misty Mountain!” Fíli cried and judging by the enthusiasm displayed by everyone else, this was a popular choice. Thorin nodded. After clearing his throat one more time, he started in a low rich baritone voice that took Kíli’s breath away.

_ Far over the Misty Mountains cold,  _

_ To dungeons deep and caverns old,  _

_ We must away, ere break of day,  _

_ To seek our pale enchanted gold. _

_ … _

Kíli had never heard Thorin sing before, which he now thought was a criminal offence. The song, along with Thorin’s deep voice, was hauntingly beautiful. The look on Thorin’s face could only be described as serene, a side of Thorin so rarely seen that Kíli felt he could hardly take his eyes off his Potions Professor. Next to him, the others seemed equally entranced.

“Bravo, my friend!” Dwalin was the first to clap and the rest joined in immediately. Kíli clapped and beamed so hard that both his face and hands hurt. When he turned to Fíli, he could tell that his friend was amazed too.

“Uncle rarely sings these days that I almost forgot how beautiful his voice is,” whispered Fíli.

“I never know,” said Kíli, still in awe of Thorin’s captivating performance. “He looked so different and the song…”

“I know.” Fíli had a reminiscent smile on his face. “He used to sing me lullabies when I was much younger. Those were my favourite moments back then. His songs always calm me down, whether I was scared or upset.”

“It must be nice,” said Kíli, who could barely keep the longing out of his voice, “having someone to tuck you in and sing you a lullaby.” It was times like this that made him feel how much he had missed out. Orphans in his orphanage never had such luxury. There were too many of them for the caretakers to pay them any individual attention. Kíli quickly learnt to rely only on himself to fight off the demons after dark.

“I’m so sorry,” said Fíli once he realised what Kíli was thinking, “I didn’t think…”

“It’s fine,” said Kíli quickly. It was hardly Fíli’s fault. “I’m fine, honestly. I mean, I’m with family now, am I not?”

Fíli smiled and put his arm around Kíli. “Of course, of course, you are.”

The celebration went late into the night but eventually, everyone had to rest. Dwalin and Balin bid them goodnight but promised to return first thing the next morning for breakfast and presents. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite the late night the day before, Kíli woke up when the first rays of sunlight shone through the windows of his room. Feeling excited about the presents, Kíli quickly got up and put on a more casual robe. He thought he would be the first one down and was thus surprised to see Thorin sitting at the dining table, sipping coffee while reading the Daily Prophet.

“Morning, professor,” said Kíli with a cheerful smile. “Merry Christmas!”

Thorin put down his coffee and newspaper before looking up. Even though he seemed less than impressed with Kíli’s dishevelled hair, Thorin still gave Kíli a rare smile and a nice “Merry Christmas, Kíli”. Grinning happily, Kíli settled down next to Thorin and tuck into breakfast in the amiable silence.

They were soon joined in by Fíli and Dís, both of whom were impeccably dressed. Dwalin and Balin turned out halfway through breakfast. Before Kíli knew it, it was present time.

“Okay, everyone,” yelled Dís over the commotion and excitement, “all the presents are placed under the Christmas tree with your name on it. I included those from owl or raven delivery too. Go on, then.”

Wasting no time at all, Kíli was the first to arrive at the tree and he soon identified several parcels with his name on it. Some of them were quite big while others were smaller. Grabbing as many as he could, Kíli started ripping the presents open.

Most of the presents from his friends were similar to what he had received the year before. Aragorn’s Gobstones set made Kíli smile. He had been wanting that for ages. Arwen sent him something made by Elven hand, a beautiful hairband of ruby red. Gimli was fond of sweets as ever and his chocolate was so mouth-watering that Kíli had to stop himself from devouring the whole thing on the spot. Ori’s present was surprisingly not a book but rather a handsome eagle feather quill so it was not that out of character after all.

The other presents were more unexpected for Kíli. Dís’s parcel turned out to be the largest. Kíli blushed when he saw the set of regal-looking robes and trousers, knowing that Dís must be dying to get him out of his dreadful Muggle clothes. Feeling even more indebted now, Kíli thanked Fíli’s mother, again and again, tripping over words in his eagerness to express his gratitude.

“Oh, nonsense,” Dís waved her hand firmly, “it’s nothing at all! The colour reminds me of your eyes. I just know it will look absolutely lovely on you.”

Dwalin and Fíli’s presents were all aimed at Kíli’s hair, which made him wonder if his current state of messiness was grating on their nerves. Dwalin gave Kíli a small bead while Fíli’s was a comb, all made of some kind of stone that was undoubtedly found in Erebor. 

“It’s nothing extravagant,” said Fíli when Kíli looked uncertain if he should accept the gift. “They are made of the most common stones here. We only picked the stone ones instead of wood because they’re more durable.”

“Thanks.” Kíli smiled at Fíli, feeling extremely grateful that his friends had taken his feelings into serious consideration. He knew that he would only feel more beholden to them had they given him anything of real monetary value.

Balin and, to Kíli’s surprise and great delight, Thorin both gave him books pertaining to their respective subjects. A quick scan of the books told Kíli that they were more for leisure time reading, which was a relief.

Now that he had finished opening his presents, Kíli felt the familiar anxiety creeping back up as he watched everyone else open their presents, particularly his. He had no idea if they would like his presents but he honestly could not think of anything better.

It took Kíli some careful thinking and planning for the Christmas presents, especially for Dís, Fíli, Dwalin, and Thorin. In the end, he decided that since he could hardly afford expensive presents without bankrupting himself, the only way forward was to find something unique, which was why he turned to the Muggle world.

His present to Dís was a hardcopy of Pride and Prejudice. Even though he had no idea whether Dís liked to read or not, he figured that a classic like this would not go wrong since he had heard obsessive discussions amongst the older girls in the orphanage. Similarly, he had given Balin a book too, this one on the history of Muggle England, which he was certain Balin would be interested in.

For Dwalin, Kíli had to enlist the help of some of his older friends from the Muggle orphanage. Kíli himself was too young to buy an imitation gun but luckily, his friend managed to get one and sent it to Kíli using Keeper. The Desert Eagle replica was so realistic that Kíli was sure Dwalin would fall in love with it.

Since Kíli did not know Thorin well enough, he opted for the safer option of a handsome fountain pen and a vinyl record of some classic Muggle songs. Now that he knew of Thorin’s musical talent, Kíli felt more confident that Thorin would at least accept the present.

What took Kíli the longest time was the present for Fíli. Nothing that could be bought, magical or not, would do it justice, which was why Kíli finally elected to build the present himself. After careful consideration, he had selected a model kit of London Tower Bridge and spent several days building it. Fíli had little experience in the Muggle world so Kíli hoped he would find the present intriguing.

“Oh, my sweet Mahal,” cried Fíli after he opened Kíli’s present, “this is wonderful.” He looked up and the look in his eyes made Kíli beam. “Did you make this yourself?”

“Yes,” smiled Kíli bashfully, “I thought you’d enjoy some Muggle scenery.”

“It’s absolutely perfect!” After carefully placing the model down, Fíli rose from his seat and engulfed Kíli in a tight hug. “Thank you so much! It’s so thoughtful and special.”

The rest of his presents were equally well-received. Dwalin was so intrigued by the replica gun that he refused to put it down. Even Thorin appeared fascinated by the fountain pen as he wasted no time in putting it to use. 

“This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” whispered Fíli when Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin set out to leave for Hogwarts after dinner that night. Kíli had to agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a while to come up with Christmas presents ideas. I never thought they'd be this difficult lol.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they got closer to the truth to the mysterious attacks, Kíli also had some breakthrough moments with his Sense. Yet it's one thing to know what was behind the attack, quite another to stop it.

The rest of the winter break went by fast. Kíli spent the majority of his time practising Quidditch and other magical games with Fíli, eating all the food Dís had prepared, catching up on his homework, albeit reluctantly, and reading about developing his Sense with the help of the books from Erebor Library, which he had taken quite a liking to.

“There’s so much about magic I don’t know,” said Kíli one afternoon when he was playing Gobstones with Fíli. “My favourite is probably, well, the children’s books.”

“The Tales of Beedle the Bard?” asked Fíli with a grin. “I loved them when I was a child.”

“They’re very interesting,” said Kíli, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Very different from Muggle ones, you know?”

“You can borrow some books and take them to Hogwarts if you want,” shrugged Fíli. “Mum won’t mind and I never read them nowadays anyway.”

Kíli thought about it. Perhaps he would. Then again, he still had those two books from Dori. “I think I’ll finish Mister Dori’s books first. I still haven’t read the myths of Hogwarts because of all the school work and stuff.”

“It’s not going to get any easier next term,” said Fíli. “I reckon the weather will soften up soon so Wood will drag you lot out to the Quidditch pitch in no time.”

Kíli groaned. Oliver Wood’s obsession was a running joke in Hogwarts, which was quite fun until one fell victim to it. “Well, at least I hope Azog will be gone by the time we return. I can’t stand another term with him lurking around in the corridors, waiting to ambush any students.”

“I think he will,” said Fíli thoughtfully. “Uncle said that the Mandrake Restorative Draught is almost ready. Once it’s administered to Bolg, he’ll be restored and Azog will have no reason to stay any longer.”

That bolstered Kíli’s spirit. What raised it even more later that day was the presence of two…

“Nifflers!” Fíli said dramatically when he presented the two black fluffy creatures to Kíli, who squeaked and wasted no time to cuddle the adorable little things. The Nifflers, as it turned out, were equally curious and affectionate, as they sniffed Kíli eagerly and burrowed their little snouts into Kíli’s hair.

“Can you feel their magic?” Fíli asked after a good 10 minutes of Kíli simply laughing and playing with the Nifflers.

“Oh,” said Kíli, who had completely forgotten the point of these little diggers. “Er…” He tried to focus on the fluffy guys but felt nothing. “No…”

“It’s okay,” Fíli added quickly when Kíli’s smile fell. “Nifflers aren’t particularly powerful magical creatures. They’re not like the Hippogriffs. You probably just need more practice with them to make it work.”

So Kíli did. Even though he greatly enjoyed the experience, to his dismay, the progress was minimal, if any at all. By the time the holidays were over, he still felt almost nothing around these fluffy diggers. Sometimes, he could feel a very faint pulse of something but he was not even sure if it was real or not.

“Don’t worry,” said Fíli on their way back to Hogwarts, “Professor Dáin has loads of magical creatures for you to practice on. I’m sure you can Sense something as powerful as a unicorn right away.”

Fíli’s words did instil a new sense of hope in Kíli. Before he could go down to visit Dáin, however, something else distracted him. Barely a week had passed after they had returned to Hogwarts before the news of Bolg’s revival reached the rest of the castle.

“Does that mean Azog will finally be gone?” Kíli asked eagerly, which made Lindir, their usual messenger of any sort of news, laugh. “Oh, yes, he’s leaving soon. Well, he insists on staying for a couple more days to ensure Bolg’s recovery is complete but he can’t find any excuses to stay any longer. Professor Thorin has made sure of that.”

“At long last!” cried Kíli, pumping his fist in the air. “Good riddance if you ask me.”

“I’m more curious about what Bolg has said of the night he was attacked,” asked Fíli, forever rational. “Does he recall anything at all?”

Lindir shook his head. “From what I heard, Bolg couldn’t remember anything after he left the kitchen. It seems like the spell that petrified him, whatever it is, wiped out his memory as well.”

“Hmm,” Fíli looked pensive, “that’s not completely unheard of. Still, I thought he’d remember something.”

“Well, if he does, he’s not telling us,” shrugged Lindir. 

“What about Burt then?” asked Kíli, now remembering the poor Slytherin who was petrified too. “Did he remember anything at all?”

Lindir shook his head. “They’ve only got enough Potion for one. Professor Thorin’s Mandrake root stock couldn’t afford two. Besides, Burt was completely petrified so he needs more potions. They now have to wait for the fresh batch of Mandrakes to mature, which will take another couple of months.”

Once Lindir had left, undoubtedly to spread the news further, Kíli turned to Fíli. “Is it really possible for such a spell to erase the memory too?”

“It’s certainly possible,” nodded Fíli. “But it requires advanced magical skills that, if the attacker possessed, would surely petrify Bolg completely.”

“Except Bolg wasn’t totally petrified,” finished Kíli. He could now see what Fíli was getting at. “It is strange then. Do you think Bolg’s hiding something?”

“I don’t know,” said Fíli, his brows knitted together. “I mean, if he’s really hiding something, then the obvious question is, why. Is he trying to protect someone or does he simply not trust us with such information? Maybe he thinks that we’ll play by the book while he wants revenge by the hand of his father.”

Kíli thought about the possibilities. The latter did make sense. He could see how Bolg’s desire for vengeance made regular punishment look inadequate in his eyes, which would certainly prompt him to seek his father’s help in making his attacker pay. Yet it did not feel right. Things just did not add up. Not to mention that this brought them no closer to the identity of the attacker.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

True to his words, Thorin ensured that Azog left Hogwarts three days after. This filled Kíli with such relief that he hoped, against his better judgment, that this meant this whole mess was over and life would resume to normal. His workload remained high as always but thanks to the hard work Fíli forced him to put in during the Christmas holidays, he was no longer behind. His most problematic subject was still Potions but his improved relationship with Thorin had helped him greatly. At least, he was no longer melting cauldrons like chocolate simply because of nerves. This also meant that he no longer had to spend time after class redoing his Potions or writing extra essays on what went wrong. Coming up with reasons less suicidal than ‘Professor Thorin terrifies the living daylights out of me’ was getting difficult.

With the weather still proving to be too horrendous even for Wood to practice Quidditch, Kíli used his spare time to practice his Sense and read about Hogwarts myths. He also found time to visit Dáin at last.

The pure white serene creature that greeted them in the Forbidden Forest was like nothing Kíli had ever seen before. The horse-like unicorn had a coat so sleek and pure white that the snow around it looked dirty and grey. Its big watery eyes focused on Kíli and company was so serene that Kíli felt entranced. Unlike with the Hippogriff, he could Sense the unicorn’s powerful magic before he came in physical contact with the beautiful being.

“Oh, Fíli,” cried Kíli softly, “I can feel it. It’s so…” He struggled to find the right word to describe something so pure and magical but Fíli got his feelings.

“I know,” whispered Fíli reverently. “I can’t Sense its magic but even looking at it…”

“Come on over,” said Dáin enthusiastically as he waved Fíli and Kíli over. “Approach the unicorn carefully. They prefer females but if you’re gentle with them.”

Not that Fíli or Kíli would ever dream of being anything but gentle with such a beautiful creature. Both of them tread slowly and when they came next to the unicorn, it fixed its beautiful eyes on them before closing them peacefully. Taking it as a sign of ease, Kíli put his hand tentatively on the unicorn and found himself inundated with its pure magic. Gasping slightly, he composed himself to really feel. The magic coursing through his veins was light, warm, soothing yet fleeting, almost a bit playful. It lifted his spirit so much that he could not help but smile at the unicorn who eyed him with interest. Kíli wondered if the unicorn knew he could Sense its magic.

“Okay, I’m definitely taking Care of Magical Creatures,” said Kíli when they were on their way back to the castle.

Fíli laughed. “I’ve told you, not all magical creatures are dangerous beasts. Wait until you meet a baby unicorn. It will melt your heart.” His face turned more serious. “It’s wonderful that you can Sense the unicorn without even touching it!”

“Yeah,” Kíli nodded, “I think I can Sense really strong magic but I still need to work on my Sense to expand it. I’d love to Sense some ordinary magical creatures or better yet, wizards.”

“You have to be patient and give yourself time,” said Fíli firmly. “Magical creatures are easier to detect because they don’t know how to hide their magic. Wizards are inherently better at controlling and concealing their magic. It takes time so don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re doing great.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately for Kíli, with the warmer and milder weather also came Oliver’s enthusiasm for Quidditch. It appeared that Oliver was determined to make up for the lost time during winter by doubling the training effort, which left the whole Gryffindor Quidditch team drained and exhausted.

“If Oliver calls for one more training session, I’m going to petrify myself,” groaned Kíli miserably during breakfast one February morning. His legs still ached from the training session the night before and the lack of sleep did nothing to help.

“Don’t say that,” chastised Arwen, who just came to the Gryffindor table with Aragorn. Both looked very solemn.

“Why not?” Kíli felt perplexed. Arwen could usually take a joke. “What’s the matter?”

“Someone has just been petrified,” sighed Aragorn, rubbing his temple and looking careworn. “A Gryffindor. We the Prefects have just been briefed on the attack.”

“What?” cried Kíli and Fíli simultaneously. “Who?” asked Fíli.

“Colin Creevey,” said Arwen. Her beautiful eyes, which looked even bigger against her pale skin, were filled with concern. “He was found with his camera early this morning in a deserted corridor by Alfrid. The professors and the Headmaster were informed and he was taken to the Hospital Wing. Mister Oín confirmed that it was petrification. The Headmaster summoned the Head Boy and Girl, along with all the Prefects. There will be more security measures to ensure the safety of the students.”

“But,” Kíli was lost for words, “does anyone know who or what petrified him?”

“No,” Aragorn shook his head. He looked deeply troubled, which did nothing to assuage Kíli’s concern. “Even if they do, they’re not telling us.”

“I don’t think they do, not for sure anyway,” said Arwen thoughtfully. “Otherwise they would have told us something to avoid the panic that’s bound to set amongst the students.”

After Arwen and Aragorn settled at the Ravenclaw table to eat breakfast, Kíli turned to Fíli. “Do you think it’s the same attacker?”

“It’s got to be! There are too many similarities between the cases for them not to be done by the same person. But still, why Colin? I mean, he’s got nothing in common with Burt. Who would want to attack both of them?”

“Azog,” cried Kíli, suddenly remembering something Colin had said earlier. “He annoyed Azog once, remember?”

“Yeah, but Azog is no longer in Hogwarts,” said Fíli. “So how could he?”

“Maybe he’s got a cursed object and planted it somewhere so it can attack Colin!” Kíli was too excited by his ideas that he had to get them out. “It’s clever, isn’t it? He’ll have an alibi that way and nobody can suspect him. Since the professors will rule him out this time, they’ll assume he wasn’t behind the attack of Burt either.”

“Okay,” said Fíli slowly, clearly not convinced, “a couple of things, first of all, I suppose you can say Azog has a motivation for attacking Colin. A thin one but a valid one nonetheless. But then why does Azog want to attack Burt?”

“He must have annoyed Azog somehow,” shrugged Kíli. “Believe me, it doesn’t take much to achieve that.”

“But isn’t that a bit extreme? Petrification for annoying him? That’s too much even for Azog.”

“Oh, come on, Fíli, it’s Azog we’re talking about,” Kíli was more than a little frustrated by Fíli’s rational mind. “He’s a megalomaniac who hates everyone. I’m sure he’s not above using petrification as a form of personal revenge.”

Fíli opened his mouth but closed it. Apparently, he had no wish to argue with Kíli on that point. The next point he pointed out, however, was too important for Kíli to ignore. “Okay, let’s just assume Azog really will petrify someone just for annoying him or his son. Are you saying that he petrified his own son for the same reason?”

“Er…” Unfortunately, Kíli had no answer to that question. The most obvious objection to his theory was the fact that Azog’s son was the first victim. He forgot to take that into account with his hypothesis. As much as he disliked Azog, he knew that the former Death Eater was not mad or cruel enough to hurt his own son, his only heir. “I didn’t think about that. So we’re back to square one. Do you think we can get more information out of Professor Dwalin? That may help our investigation.”

“I can definitely ask him,” said Fíli. “In the meantime, we should stick together at all times, just in case.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Due to the new attack, which was announced to the students later that day, security within Hogwarts had increased tenfold. Kíli could now see professors and staff patrolling the corridor not just at night time but during the day as well. The students were more on edge too, particularly those of less than pure blood.

“Every victim that has been attacked are either half-blood or Muggleborn,” said Fíli reasonably during one of their revision sessions in the library. “They’ve got nothing else in common really. So of course, those students will be worried.”

“But Bolg and Burt…” Kíli’s question was answered quickly. “Everyone suspects that Bolg is half-Orc. There are even rumours that Azog is half-Orc himself. I have to admit it’s a bit odd though. Usually, blood purists don’t go after half-Orcs as long as the other parent is a pureblood Wizard and Azog does descend from a pureblood family. Orcs are magical beings, after all. Dark, but still magical.”

“So basically he’s not discriminated against as I am,” concluded Kíli. It was not that he was bitter. He knew that his heritage did not define who he was, not to mention that he was extremely proud of who his parents were, based on the snippets of information he had on them. He did, however, find the magical world extremely hypocritical when it comes to blood purity and all that.

“I’m sorry, Kíli.” Fíli looked more concerned than Kíli was. “The prejudice you’ve faced is completely unfair. I don’t understand why people have such prejudice against Muggleborns and marriages with them. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Kíli shrugged. Unlike Fíli, he was used to biases and understood perfectly that people could resort to such irrational arguments to justify their actions. “Anyway, what about Burt?”

“He’s half Muggle,” said Fíli. “The other half of his blood is of questionable origin too. Some say part giant or troll but I reckon it’s just because of his build. In any case, I’m not surprised that they targeted him. As for Colin, well, you know he’s a Muggleborn.”

“But there are so many Muggleborns and half-bloods in Hogwarts!” said Kíli. “Is the attacker going to target them all?”

“Actually,” said Fíli slowly, “there aren’t that many half-bloods. Interracial marriage is extremely rare in the Wizarding world. I think that’s why Azog and Bolg have been pretending to be pureblood all this time. As for Muggleborns, most blood purists regard them as stealers of magic. They would not blink an eye to purge them if they had their way.”

Kíli shuddered. As much as he thought he had gotten used to the prejudice of the Wizarding World, he had no idea they would resort to such cruel measures. “So the attacker really could target all of them. We’ve got to do something!”

Fíli sighed and closed his eyes. He looked tired and defeated, something so unusual in Fíli that Kíli was instantly alarmed. “What’s the matter, Fíli?”

“Neither Professor Dwalin nor uncle wants to tell me anything,” said Fíli miserably. “They kept telling me to mind my own business and watch out. I think this is serious. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have kept me in the dark.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, Kíli’s investigation had come to a standstill without further information from Dwalin or Thorin on Colin’s attack. He had tried to sneak into the Hospital Wing to visit Colin but was discovered by Oín quickly and thrown out unceremoniously.

“I’m telling you,” complained Kíli, “Mister Oín is not deaf like he pretends to be. There’s no way a deaf person can hear me sneaking in.”

“You shouldn’t have done that!” Fíli did not crack a smile at Kíli’s joke. Instead, he looked both exasperated and worried. “Sneaking into the Hospital Wing at this time by yourself! What if you’re attacked?”

“I was careful,” said Kíli. “Besides, there’s no point in this anyway. I barely managed to get a glimpse of Colin.”

“What did you see then?” Fíli pressed and Kíli thought hard, trying to recall every single detail that he saw in the Hospital Wing. “Colin’s hands were in front of his chest. I think he was holding something, most likely his camera. His eyes were wide and large and his mouth was open, probably from shock. I think he must have just taken a picture or was about to take a picture before he saw something that really surprised him.”

“You’re sure he’s not holding the camera in front of his eyes?” When Kíli shook his head, Fíli pressed on, “was he looking up, down, or sideways?”

Kíli thought hard. “I don’t think so. He was looking straight ahead.”

“So whatever petrified him must be at his eye level then,” mused Fíli. “How did it get in front of him though? I mean, it must appear right in front of him for Colin to look straight ahead. Did it perhaps jump in front of Colin?”

“Maybe Colin saw it through the camera,” piped up Kíli eagerly. “When he lowered the camera, he lost the protection and was petrified.”

“Could be,” said Fíli slowly. “But then he might have captured the thing that attacked him. You know Colin, he can’t resist taking a picture of anything different. It’s almost second nature to him.”

“Then that would give the professors the clue to solving the mystery,” Kíli finished Fíli’s thought, feeling dejected. This was hopeless. Without additional information, they were never going to figure it out.

“Cheer up,” said Fíli encouragingly. “I’m sure Professor Dwalin and uncle will find out about it soon enough. They may have some ideas already. Let’s not worry ourselves and just stay alert.”

As much as Kíli wished not to follow Fíli’s advice, he soon found out that he had no choice. Without evidence, all he could do was come up with more and more wild guesses, which did not help him get any closer to the truth at all. In the end, Kíli gave up after two weeks. He had better things to do than to dwell on a mystery he had no possibility of solving.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Blimey, is that a book I saw?” asked Gimli before bed one night. Kíli had a book in his hand, which was not a usual occurrence. “You’re turning into Fíli that it’s not even funny.”

“Oh, shut it,” Kíli said without real heat. Frankly, he did not see anything wrong with that. If he was perfectly honest, he sometimes wished he could be more like Fíli.

“Be a bit more convincing next time,” Gimli smirked. “What are you reading anyway?”

“Oh, just some light reading. Mister Dori gave me a book about the myths of Hogwarts. It’s really fun.”

Gimli snorted, “yup, definitely Fíli.”

Kíli shrugged. The book was too absorbing for him to retort back so he simply flipped the bird at Gimli who roared with laughter before disappearing into the lavatory to wash up before bed.

Having just finished the story of the alleged first Hogwarts ghost, Emmerick the Brave and Stupid, who met his tragic end after he stepped on his best friend’s pet toad (killing the poor animal at the same time), slipped, and planted face-first into a boiling cauldron of Love Potion, Kíli decided to read another one before he called it a day. Turning to the next chapter, Kíli was soon engrossed in the story of the Chamber of Secrets.

_ … disagreement with the rest of the founders had reached the point of no reconciliation, Slytherin decided to leave the school for good. Rumour has it that before he left, Slytherin had managed to build a secret chamber inside Hogwarts that is accessible only to the heirs of Slytherin. As the other founders failed to locate the so-called Chamber of Secrets, it had been categorised as part of the Hogwarts myths that adds to the mystery of the school. The purpose of the Chamber, however, was reportedly less innocuous. Due to Slytherin’s fanatic view on blood purity, which was ironic since Slytherin himself was said to be part Orc, a rumour he fiercely denied himself, there have been many speculations that the Chamber contains a monster that, once released, will cleanse the school of those of unworthy blood. _

“This is it!” Kíli cried so loudly that Gimli, who had just stepped out of the lavatory, tripped over himself. Kíli paid him no mind. He had got to inform Fíli on this new development.

“Where the hell are you going?” yelled Gimli as Kíli dressed haphazardly, putting his oversized Christmas stocking on his head in the process.

“Off to Ravenclaw Tower to see Fíli,” said Kíli who was struggling with the sleeves of his jumper in his excitement.

“Are you barking mad?” Gimli dropped his towel but he paid it no mind. “It’s way past curfew and you plan to wander around after dark in the castle where professors and some unknown attacker are out?”

“Got to tell Fíli,” said Kíli impatiently and he practically ran out of the dormitory, leaving the shouting Gimli behind.

Luckily, Kíli had been to the Ravenclaw Tower many times to know where it was. Once he was outside the Gryffindor Tower, his senses were hyper-alert. The castle after dark felt strangely empty and dangerous, making Kíli question his impulsive decision. He could not, however, stand the look on Gimli’s face if he did return now so Kíli ploughed on, hoping against hope that his luck would protect him. 

Just as he was about to turn around the corner into the staircases leading up to the Ravenclaw Tower, Kíli heard voices that made him stop. Pressing himself as flatly against the wall as possible, Kíli strained his ears to hear who was speaking.

“... of Secrets?” Dwalin’s voice was unmistakable but it was what he said that nearly made Kíli gasp. Was he talking about the Chamber of Secrets?

“It’s too similar for it not to be.” Kíli had never heard Thorin sound so concerned before. “It all started the same way, students were petrified one after another where most of the victims were either Muggleborns or half-blood.”

“It was the worst year of my life,” sighed Dwalin. “Imagine being a first-year, coming to Hogwarts filled with excitement and hope, only to find all those students petrified and one of yer classmates killed.”

Neither Dwalin nor Thorin spoke for a while. Kíli tried to wrap his head around all this new information. The Chamber of Secrets was opened before when Dwalin was a first-year? A student was killed?

“Do yeh think the same will happen this time?” Dwalin’s voice jerked Kíli out of his thoughts.

“I don’t know,” said Thorin. “The perpetrator wasn’t caught last time and it doesn’t look like we’re anywhere close to catching him this time, does it? I really hope history won’t repeat itself. I don’t know if Hogwarts can take another hit like that.”

“Creevey got lucky this time,” said Dwalin. “If he’s not facing the window, he must be dead by now. I just don’t know if we can count on our luck for much longer.”

“We must keep constant vigilance,” said Thorin firmly. “No students will be hurt under my watch even if that costs me my life. Come on, let’s finish the rounds.”

Once the footsteps of Thorin and Dwalin had faded, Kíli stuck his head out around the corner to check. Satisfied that the coast was clear, he climbed up the spiralling staircases as fast as he could to find himself face to face with the eagle-shaped bronze knocker.

“A Gryffindor, I see,” said the eagle knocker in its usual mystic musical tone after Kíli knocked softly on the wooden door. “So late after dark too. What brings you here, my young friend?”

“Er, I’m here to see Fíli,” said Kíli hesitantly, not entirely sure if the knocker would let him pass. Usually, when he visited, he came with Fíli who always had an answer to…

“You shall if your mind is sharp and your heart is pure,” said the knocker in a singsong voice and Kíli’s heart sank. The Ravenclaw password is unique in that it does not exist. There is no set password to get one into the Common Room. Instead, one must answer a riddle given by the eagle knocker. Answered correctly, one may pass through regardless of Houses. Unable to satisfy the knocker, however, even a Ravenclaw would not be granted access. It was therefore not uncommon to see a group of students, usually first-years, huddled outside the Ravenclaw Common Room, trying to figure out the answer to a riddle until someone rescued them. Fortunately, Fíli was clever enough to always know the answer to the riddle so they never faced such problems.

Seeing that he had no other choice, Kíli nodded. “Fine, what’s your question?”

“What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?”

“Hmm,” Kíli thought hard. It could not be seconds. In fact, Kíli had a hunch that the answer had nothing to do with time. What else could it be then? Minute, Moment, m…

“M!” cried Kíli suddenly, “It’s the letter M!” 

The knocker smiled, “correct,” before swinging open the door to allow Kíli through.

Surprised by his wit, Kíli quickly slid inside. To his great relief, nobody was at the Common Room for it was quite late already. Walking quietly up the staircases, Kíli paused outside Fíli’s dormitory and knocked gently.

The look on Fíli’s face when he came to open the door could only be described as flabbergasted. His half-closed eyes turned comically wide at the sight of Kíli. With his mouth frozen mid-yawn, Fíli seemed to have lost the ability to speak completely. Taking advantage of Fíli’s temporary speech loss, Kíli nudged past his friend into the room and closed the door quickly behind him.

“What…” Before Fíli could say anything more though, Kíli clapped his hand over Fíli’s mouth and looked around. Ori, it seemed, had already gone to bed. Gesturing wildly in silence, Kíli motioned Fíli into the lavatory so they could speak without disturbing Ori.

“Have you lost your bloody mind?” hissed Fíli so angrily that he sounded like a snake ready to attack. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Language,” whispered Kíli with a smirk. The look on Fíli’s already red face made him almost regret his cheek. “Sorry, but I’ve got to see you.”

“What do you mean you’ve got to see me? What in the name of Mahal’s balls is so important that you can’t wait till tomorrow? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is after dark in the castle? You could have been caught with enough detention to last you a lifetime or worse yet, attacked by some unknown object or dark wizard! You could be petrified by now, Kíli!”

Kíli waited patiently until Fíli’s rant was over. He knew that this late-night trip was not the brightest idea but he simply did not think at the time. 

“Did you run into anything?” Fíli asked after he had vented enough and his tone was finally back to normal, if slightly concerned.

“Nah,” Kíli shook his head, “I almost ran into Professor Dwalin and Thorin but they didn’t see me. In fact, I’ve managed to eavesdrop on their conversation. It’s worth it,” he raised his voice slightly at the look on Fíli’s face, “I’ve learnt some very valuable information that pretty much confirmed my hypothesis. Anyway, here,” he thrust the book Dori had lent him into Fíli’s hand.

“What’s this?” asked Fíli. Kíli simply pointed to the relevant paragraph. Looking half exasperated half resigned, Fíli read on and his expression soon changed.

“Kíli, this Chamber of Secrets..”

“Exactly!” exclaimed Kíli before Fíli could even finish his sentence. Finally, his ideas were vindicated. “It speaks of the monster inside that will purge the school of impure blood. It’s exactly what’s happening now, isn’t it? And it makes sense! I can Sense its magic because it’s a dark magical creature. That also explains why Burt was attacked outside Slytherin Common Room, not in the Potions corridor. The monster moved on its own!”

“Mahal forbid!” cried Fíli softly. “That’s why none of the wards can detect the monster. It is inside Hogwarts to start with. It also explains why nobody can find the monster. There must be some kind of secret key or something passed down generations to the Chamber of Secrets.”

“Are there any heirs of Slytherins left?” asked Kíli and Fíli shook his head. “I don’t know. Wizarding genealogy can be a tad confusing sometimes. Some families really keep to themselves during the earlier time when Witch-Hunting was still prevalent. Squibs are also very hard to account for since most of them choose to live as Muggles. But sometimes their descendants come back to the Wizarding world after they have demonstrated magical abilities. So it’s possible that we have an heir of Slytherin amongst us. We simply don’t know.”

“But there isn’t a known family that descends from Slytherin?”

“No,” Fíli shook his head. He seemed less certain of this theory now. “How can we be sure that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets, if it does exist, is really the one responsible for the attacks? It’s just myths, after all, isn’t it?”

“Ah, that,” smirked Kíli smugly. It felt incredibly good to know something that Fíli did not. The occasions were so rare that he could not help but gloat over it. “I would have agreed with you had I not overheard what Professor Dwalin and Thorin said.” He then proceeded to tell Fíli what he had overheard.

“The Chamber of Secrets was opened before and someone died at the hands of the monster?” Fíli’s voice was so shrill that Kíli was certain only bats could hear him. “How come uncle’s never told me anything about it?!”

Kíli shrugged. “It’s hardly a suitable dinner table topic, is it? He probably doesn’t want to scare you. It must be kept a secret because they couldn’t catch the perpetrator. They probably came up with a cover story because otherwise, no parents would feel safe to send their kids to Hogwarts.”

“But…” Fíli looked utterly speechless. Kíli’s mind had already raced on. Who amongst them could open the Chamber of Secrets? What was the monster inside? How did it get around without being detected?

“It’s getting late,” said Fíli and Kíli just realised how exhausted he was. “You should just stay here instead of risking going back to Gryffindor Tower.”

“What?” Kíli did not expect that. To be honest, he never thought that far about what would happen after this conversation. He supposed Fíli’s suggestion made sense. 

The four-poster bed was more than spacious enough for each student, likely due to the fact that a lot of the students came from affluent ancient Wizarding families and therefore were used to luxuries, thought Kíli. For two boys such as themselves, it was still quite snug. Kíli found his face dangerously close to Fíli where his nose was tickled by Fíli’s fine golden hair.

“Don’t sneeze or laugh,” hissed Fíli warningly, “you’ll wake Ori up.”

Thankfully, Ori was a deep sleeper. Kíli soon found himself drifting to unconsciousness next to Fíli’s warmth and steady breathing.  _ This was nice _ , thought Kíli half asleep half awake,  _ I could do this more often _ , before succumbing to the land of dreams. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Bloody hell!” Ori’s shrill voice acted as the perfect alarm clock because it woke both Kíli and Fíli up instantly. Rubbing his eyes groggily, Kíli found himself nestled comfortably in Fíli’s embrace with his back pressed to Fíli’s chest, feeling Fíli’s strong heartbeat. Next to the bed, Ori’s face changed colour so quickly from white to red back to ready that he looked ready to explode.

“What… When… How?”

Kíli was confused himself now. What was Ori on about? So what if he stayed over? There was absolutely no need for Ori to get so worked up about it.

“It’s not what you think,” sighed Fíli from behind, which made Kíli turn around, with some difficulty, to give Fíli a questioning look. “Kíli came to discuss some, well, things last night and it was too late for him to go back to the Gryffindor Tower on his own past curfew. So I asked him to stay here.”

“What things?” Ori still looked suspicious but less scandalised at least.

“Er,” Fíli looked slightly lost so Kíli jumped in, “things about my parents. I overheard Professor Dwalin and Professor Thorin talk about them and I just feel…” He let his voice trail off but Ori got the gist immediately.

“I’m so sorry, Kíli,” said Ori with such sincerity that Kíli regretted lying to him immediately. “I didn’t know. It’s perfectly understandable though. No need to worry at all. I won’t tell anyone, I promise. And sorry about earlier. I just thought… Well, never mind. My apologies for overreacting.”

The moment Ori was gone, Kíli turned to Fíli. “What was Ori on about? What did he think happened?”

To his surprise, Kíli found a pink flush on Fíli’s face. “It’s nothing really,” muttered Fíli. “As he said, Ori overreacts. Anyway, let’s get to breakfast.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another attack, more Quidditch drama, and a rule-breaking scheme brewing.

The Great Hall was unusually packed and noisy for a Saturday morning. Normally students tend to have a bit of a lie-in on weekends after the long gruelling week unless there is a Quidditch match. Now it seemed that the news of the attacks and the uncertainty that inevitably followed kept everyone on tenterhooks. Students started to travel in packs, hoping that sheer number alone would suffice in the face of an attack. The owls and ravens also had more work as anxious parents were sending daily mails to inquire after their children and the students, in turn, were eager to assure their parents of their wellbeing.

Gimli was the first to spot Kíli and Fíli and he practically ran towards the pair. “Where the hell were you last night?” asked Gimli without so much of a hello.

“Good morning to you too,” deadpanned Kíli.

“Oh, don’t be smart with me now!” Gimli snapped. “I was worried sick about you, thinking that you’re probably devoured by some lurking monsters in the castle. I almost went to Lady Galadriel to call for a search party for you.”

“Ah,” Kíli felt bad now. He was too mentally drained to think last night but now looking back, he should have at least informed Gimli about his whereabouts, particularly during such times of uncertainty. Next to him, Fíli looked equally sheepish. “Sorry, I should have told you. I stayed over at Ravenclaw Tower because, well, I thought it’d be safer not to wander around in the castle after dark.”

“That’s rich, coming from you,” said Gimli, still scowling uncharacteristically. “You shouldn’t have sneaked off in the first place.”

“It’s partially my fault too!” Before Kíli could explain more, Fíli cut in, “I insisted that Kíli stayed. I should have known better.”

“Fíli, it’s not you…” Kíli was determined not to let his friend take the blame for his foolishness but Gimli waved his hand. “Okay, that’s enough. It’s okay. Just,” he took a deep breath, “don’t do it again. We care about you too, you know.” With that, he simply turned around and went back to the Gryffindor table.

Exchanging a guilty look with Fíli, Kíli made his way to the Gryffindor table. Determined not to ignore his other friends, he quickly engaged Gimli in discussions about Quidditch, which finally brought a smile to his friend’s face.

“I’m sure Ravenclaw is going to slaughter Slytherin,” said Gimli with great passion. “Your team really is good.” He admitted with a pained look to Fíli who smirked. “Which means we have to win against Hufflepuff. I think we stand a decent chance. How’s the training going?”

“Oliver is still trying to murder us all using Quidditch,” sighed Kíli dramatically. “If we all make it to the match in one piece, I’m sure we’ll all be motivated to win if only to avoid an even more fanatical Oliver.”

Gimli laughed. “Give the lad a rest. He’s just trying to win us the Quidditch Cup.” He looked more serious now. “I hope the recent attacks haven’t affected team morale.”

“It affects our team,” said Fíli, the look of concern on his face was evident. “Our Seeker, Cho Chang, is particularly anxious these days. She’s half Muggle, you see.”

“I’m sure this whole thing will be over by your match,” said Gimli. “You’ve still got two weeks. It’s plenty of time for the professors to solve the mystery.”

Exchanging a quick look with Fíli, Kíli knew that they were thinking the same thing. If the professors had not been able to catch the culprit some 30 years ago, would they have better luck now?

Once breakfast was over, Kíli started walking back to the Gryffindor Tower with Fíli. Since they were by themselves now, he felt safe to discuss the topic of the Chamber of Secrets again. “Do you think the professors will catch the heir of Slytherin this time?”

“I don’t know,” said Fíli, his hand balled into a fist. “I mean, we’re not any closer to solving it this time, are we?” He turned to Kíli. “Do you think we should let them know what we’ve discovered so far?”

That was a difficult question. On one hand, Kíli knew that he would feel more reassured if he shared his knowledge with some capable wizards like Dwalin or Thorin. On the other hand, though, their past failure made Kíli question their ability to solve it this time. He had to admit that there was a very small part of him that wished that he could be the one to solve this difficult problem, proving all the naysayers wrong and earning himself the respect of his peers and even Thorin. “Let’s not tell them anything and work on our own for now. It’s not like we know things they don’t know already anyway. Besides, as you said, they’re not any closer so maybe we’ll stand a better chance.”

Fíli opened his mouth but closed it again. Kíli knew that his friend was not entirely convinced of his decision but stayed silent merely for the sake of their friendship. This made Kíli even more determined to work harder to solve the problem if only to prove to Fíli that his trust in him was not misplaced.

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For the next week, Kíli and Fíli spent all their spare time, which was quite limited due to Quidditch practices, researching about the Chamber of Secrets in the library. They even enlisted the help of Dori, who was thrilled that someone was interested in reading and was thus more than willing to lend a hand. Yet to Kíli’s frustration, there was no new information they could glean from the books they had scanned through. The Chamber of Secrets, it seemed, remained one of the most well-kept secrets of Hogwarts.

“It’s got to be a Slytherin then,” said Kíli after another fruitless round of research. “The heir can’t possibly end up in another House.”

Fíli shrugged. “You never know. House affiliations do tend to run in the family but it’s not absolute. Mum is a Gryffindor and your mum was a Ravenclaw.”

“But it’s more likely they’re a Slytherin, isn’t it? Whoever’s capable of opening the Chamber of Secrets without being detected also fits the Slytherin characteristics, doesn’t it? I doubt a loyal Hufflepuff would ever do something like that.”

“That is a good point,” said Fíli slowly. “They’re definitely more likely a Slytherin and, I hate to say this, maybe a Ravenclaw.”

“So that’s a starting point.” Kíli felt like they had finally narrowed the suspect pool down. “It’s most likely someone from Slytherin, possibly a Ravenclaw. We won’t rule anyone out for now. They can’t be Muggleborn because whoever opened the Chamber earlier must be their parent.”

“True,” nodded Fíli. “Maybe we can ask Professor Dwalin or uncle who was at Hogwarts with them in Slytherin or Ravenclaw. We can then cross-reference it and narrow it down.”

“That’s brilliant.” Kíli felt a new wave of energy now that they had made some progress. “Only, let’s not trouble Professor Dwalin and Thorin. They’ll know we’re investigating and probably prohibit us from doing so. Besides, I doubt they can remember everyone that was in Hogwarts with them at that time. Let’s go into the school records section. I’m sure they keep a copy of every student enrolled in Hogwarts every year.”

Kíli had never had a problem with the size of Hogwarts before until now. The sheer number of students in all seven years at the time of Dwalin and Thorin’s first year combined with all the students currently in Hogwarts meant that cross-referencing was a daunting task. Fortunately, Kíli had Fíli by his side, whose hardworking nature meant that he would never shy away from a task simply because it was laborious and mundane. Moreover, Fíli’s in-depth knowledge of the wizarding families, a necessary skill for his future involvement in politics as Thorin’s heir, was an invaluable help as he could tell if those people were related based on more than just the same last name.

“Okay, here’s the list of all the students with a family member that was in Hogwarts when uncle was a first-year,” said Fíli the night before the Ravenclaw against Slytherin match. “I have highlighted the Ravenclaws and Slytherins to make it easier to see.”

“Oh, Fíli, you’re a lifesaver!” Kíli opened his arms wide and cried theatrically which made Fíli chuckle. “No need to get overdramatic. Why don’t you go over the list tonight and we can talk more tomorrow after the Quidditch match? I’m knackered and need to go to bed right now.”

The list was thankfully not terribly long but it still took Kíli a while to go through them. He did not recognise most of the names on the list but a few did catch his eyes. Perhaps not so surprisingly, Bolg and Azog’s names drew his attention first. Then Legolas and his aristocratic father, Thranduil, also made the list, both Slytherins. Kíli recognised a few other Slytherins such as Burt’s friends Tom and William, and Feren Woodland, although both of his parents were Ravenclaws. The evil twins’ names were not on the list, which hardly surprised Kíli. Even though he originally suspected them of breaking into Thorin’s office, he quickly ruled them out after the first attack. As much as they liked to play pranks and create chaos, the evil twins would never try to hurt someone. Not to mention that the idea of Professor Elrond being the bigoted heir of Slytherin was simply preposterous.

Kíli sighed. For once, his instincts had failed him. As much as he disliked Azog and Bolg, they were unlikely because Bolg was the first victim. Could it be Legolas and his father? Had they not always been proud of their long family history as one of the most ancient Pureblood families? Yet Legolas’s father, according to Fíli and Lindir, refused to work with the Dark side during the Last Wizarding War. This was too confusing and too much was at stake for him to be wrong.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite the rather subdued mood in the castle lately due to the attacks, everyone was more than excited the next day for the Ravenclaw versus Slytherin match. Being Fíli’s best friend, Kíli could hardly miss the opportunity to cheer his friend on. Thankfully, Fíli seemed much more composed this time.

“How do you feel?” asked Kíli as he helped himself to some porridge. Fíli gave him a slightly tight smile. “Not bad. I’m definitely calmer this time.”

“How’s Cho Chang?” Kíli thought that the pretty Ravenclaw Seeker, who was a year ahead of them, looked rather ill. Her long black hair was still silky but Kíli could tell from her pale face and the heavy bags under her usually expressive dark eyes that she was more than a little bit stressed.

Fíli sighed. “She’s hanging on there, just barely though. A lot of the Slytherins have been picking on her. You know, the usual pre-match scare tactic. But they really hone in on her this time because of her parentage. Arwen almost hexed a fourth year Slytherin for the horrible things he said.”

That was something Kíli could relate to. He felt sympathetic towards the Ravenclaw Chaser and furious at the Slytherins. Yet there was little he could do when the Slytherin table erupted into catcalls and jeers when Cho rose from the Ravenclaw table to go to the Quidditch Pitch. Bolg was one of the main chanters amongst the Slytherins while the look of disdain on Legolas’s face was equally infuriating. Kíli wanted nothing more but to smash a whole pumpkin pie right on them both. Some Slytherins, such as Feren, displayed more respect and did not participate but they did nothing to stop their Housemates. Kíli could almost see the unushered tears in Cho’s big dark eyes.

“Disgusting gits,” snarled Kíli. “Make sure you beat them on the pitch. We’ll see who’s laughing then!”

It seemed that not all of the school shared the same feelings. The fact that the majority of the victims were Slytherins themselves made the students feel almost sympathetic towards the serpent House. During the match, equal amounts of cheer and jeer could be heard for each team. Kíli and his friends, of course, supported Ravenclaw wholeheartedly. 

As much as Kíli hated to admit it, he had to concede that Legolas was a good flyer. His aim was frighteningly accurate and his speed formidable. Despite the lacklustre performance from the rest of the Slytherin Chasers, Legolas still managed to score a good five goals within the first 30 minutes of the match. Fortunately, it was not enough.

“Ravenclaw has the match in their bags if they keep playing like this,” Gimli said and he had never been more prophetic. While Legolas was good, there was only one of him for Slytherin. Ravenclaw had got 7 of them. All the Chasers worked perfectly together, scoring goal after goal and it seemed only a matter of time before the score deficit would be too steep for the Slytherins even if Feren did catch the Snitch.

“Is that the Golden Snitch?” Ori’s shrill voice made Kíli scan the Pitch eagerly. Sure enough, the flighty little golden ball could be seen close to the Staff Stands. Both Feren and Cho had spotted it and the race was on.

Kíli watched with bated breath as Feren sped up and closed in on the Snitch. As a Seeker, Kíli knew that Cho stood little chance until…

_ Whoosh! _

A black Bludger from Fíli soared through the air so fast that people barely saw it. To everyone’s surprise, it wasn’t aimed at Feren. Instead, it was zooming towards the Snitch, which disappeared just before the clash.

“Nice one, Fíli!” cried Kíli fervently. It was a brilliant move. Everybody knew that the chance of stopping Feren was small because he had such a lead on Cho. The only way to stop him was to make the Snitch disappear. The longer the match went on, the less favourable it was for the Slytherins so even if Feren did catch the Snitch later, it might very well mean nothing at all.

Not everyone was happy about it, of course. Even from a distance, Kíli could see Bolg’s flaring nostrils and bared teeth, a deeply unpleasant sight. Thorin, on the other hand, looked more torn between anger at Fíli for ruining his House’s chance of a win and pride of his nephew for his clever and bold decision.

The disappearance of the Snitch meant that the match went on, much to the delight of the audience. Despite Legolas’s valiant effort, Slytherin was struggling. The point discrepancies increased as the match progressed. To make matters worse for the Slytherins, when the Snitch finally appeared again, it was Cho who spotted it. Wasting no time, she flattened herself on the broom and sped up. Even though Feren reacted quickly enough, he was further away from the Snitch. Before he could catch up with Cho, the Ravenclaw Seeker had already had her hand firmly on the Snitch.

“Cho Chang caught the Snitch! Ravenclaw won 380 to 100.” Lee’s magically magnified voice was drowned by the explosive cheerings of the Ravenclaws. 280 points were such a big victory that Ravenclaws were now favourites to win the Quidditch Cup while Slytherins’ chance was almost zero. Next to him, Gimli cursed softly. “Damn, I’m hoping that the Slytherin has caught the Snitch now. How are we going to beat Ravenclaw in the Quidditch Cup?”

“We will,” said Kíli, though he was not entirely confident. “But for now, let’s go congratulate Fíli.”

Gimli’s annoyance at Ravenclaw’s victory was nothing compared to the Slytherins’ wraths. As Kíli and Gimli approached the Ravenclaw crowd who were all singing all dancing, they could see several Slytherins closing in as well, Bolg and Legolas included. Before Kíli could alert the Ravenclaws, the small group of Slytherins had broken ranks and got to the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. 

“You better watch out, you Half-blooded bitch.” Bolg’s malicious voice was so sharp and loud that it cut through the cheerings of Ravenclaws like a knife. The crowd fell into shocked silence while the expression on Cho’s beautiful face switched from ecstasy to wide-eyed astonishment that quickly morphed into fear and anxiety.

“Don’t you dare!” Fíli was the first one to react as he stepped in to stand in front of Cho to shield her from Bolg. “Cho caught the Snitch fair and square so you can go and mind your business.”

“She was just lucky.” Legolas spat. “A half-blood like her doesn’t know how to play Quidditch! Feren should have caught the Snitch the first time.” He shot Fíli an angry glare.

“Well, guess what, Your Icy Highness,” Gimli said with a mock bow, drawing sniggers from the Ravenclaws. Legolas’s pale face turned an angry pink, “he didn’t. And Cho’s a damn better Quidditch player than you are so what does say about you?”

“One match won’t change anything! She’ll always be a filthy Half-Blood!” Legolas spat angrily. “Look at what’s happened to the lot of them.”

At this, Cho finally broke into tears and ran away from the crowd. Bolg’s cruel laughter followed her around. The Ravenclaw crowd was so enraged that Arwen had to physically stop Lindir from hexing Legolas and Bolg right there on the spot.

“Don’t, Lindir,” said Arwen imploringly, her arms around Lindir’s chest. “They are not worth it. They’re just sore losers. Let’s go and check on Cho.”

“Are you alright?” Kíli asked Fíli who looked both angry and concerned.

“What? Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” said Fíli, his eyes still on the retreating figure of Cho, “I’m just, well, never mind.”

That put Kíli’s imagination into overdrive. What could Fíli mean by that? Before Kíli could probe Fíli further on his enigmatic words, however, the rest of the Ravenclaws had managed to rush Fíli back into the castle to continue their well-deserved celebration.

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One of the direct aftermaths of the Slytherin loss was that Thorin was a lot moodier than usual. Since he could hardly blame his nephew for doing his job so brilliantly, Thorin had to find other ways to vent his anger and frustration. It was therefore not uncommon to see Thorin lurking around in dark corners, ready to catch any students stepping a toe out of line.

“At least he’s also patrolling the castle,” Kíli said reasonably after Lindir had landed himself a week’s worth of detention for dropping a dungbomb on Tom. “If it makes the castle a safer place for the students, I can’t really complain.”

“Easy for you to say it,” said Lindir, his nose scrunched up in disgust. “You don’t have to clean the broom cupboard for a week.”

“Speaking of brooms, how’s Cho doing?” asked Gimli, who still remembered the confrontation between the Ravenclaw Seeker and Bolg.

Lindir sighed, looking uncharacteristically preoccupied, “Not too well. You know Cho. She’s very sensitive. You can hardly blame her, with all the shit going on right now. But she barely smiles these days. Such a pity because she’s got such a beautiful smile. We used to bet in the team to see who can make Cho laugh the most.”

Gimli shook his head in amusement while Kíli was reminded again of Fíli’s cryptic words. Did Fíli feel the same way about the pretty Ravenclaw Seeker? Was he one of the team members vying for her attention? He chanced a quick look at his best friend and could only see the worried concern on his face.

“Legolas and Bolg are really out of line this time,” said Fíli darkly. “It’s absolutely disgusting to use something like this to scare someone.”

“I’m sure they don’t mean it,” Ori said, his eyes wide. “They can’t! They’ve just lost the match. I’m sure it’s just words.”

“You’re so naive!” Fíli shook his head in disbelief. “You can’t possibly believe that… I mean, come on, Ori.”

“Leave him alone,” Gimli interjected quickly. “Ori’s just being nice. Nothing wrong with that.”

Fíli did not look convinced. “Fine. Even if they didn’t mean it, it’s still bad taste to say something as insensitive as this. I mean, it’s not just a prank or a harmless hex. This is life and death and the students, particularly Muggleborns and Half-bloods are scared enough as it is.”

“You should be careful too,” said Lindir, which made Kíli whip his head around. What did Fíli have to worry about? He was a Pureblood and thus quite unlikely a target. “You’re public enemy No.2 in the Slytherins’ eyes, with your Bludger to the Snitch. The only reason why they haven’t threatened you is because of Professor Thorin. But I’d watch your back if I were you. Some might be stupid enough to attempt a hex or two when Professor Thorin’s not looking.”

“I’ll look after Fíli,” said Kíli and he meant every word. Lindir’s reasoning made sense so he was not going to let some Slytherin git like Legolas or Bolg hurt Fíli. Fíli, on the other hand, seemed less concerned about himself. “I’ll be fine. I’m a Pureblood and the worst that can happen to me is just some jinxes. Don’t worry about me.” He turned to Kíli. “You should watch out for yourself. You’ve got a big Quidditch match coming up.”

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The Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff did not generate quite as much hype as the Ravenclaw Slytherin one, partly due to Hufflepuff’s non-confrontational nature, partly due to the friendly relations between the two Houses. Professor Bilbo never treated the Gryffindors any differently in his class. Even Quidditch players like Bain were not overly hostile towards Kíli, which was such a relief.

“Do you reckon any of us stand a chance against Ravenclaws this year?” asked Thorin Stonehelm-Ironfoot in an almost resigned tone. “They look unbeatable if you ask me. The only way to stop them is for one of their team members to get injured or something.”

“Don’t say that,” said Bain seriously, “it’s the worst that could happen to a Quidditch player. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

“Not even the Slytherins like Legolas or Bolg?” asked Kíli. He for sure could make an exception for the arrogant Pureblood Elf and the nasty Half-Orc.

“Legolas’s such a git!” Bain made a face. “Normally I’d say Bolg’s an exception for he’s just as bad. But I do feel that he deserves some sympathy this time because he is after all the first victim of the series of attacks. This kind of traumatic experience can change people, you know?”

This opinion seemed to be shared by many inside Hogwarts. Despite all sorts of rumours circulating inside the castle about the identity of the attacker, an inevitable outcome following the attacks, none was pointed towards Bolg or even Azog. Everyone seemed to be under the impression that Bolg could not possibly attack himself and Azog would not be cruel enough to attack his only son. For once, Kíli had to agree.

In the meantime, the whole school was warming up for the Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff match. The fact that this was happening amidst the chaos and confusion surrounding the attacks meant that the match was gathering more attention. Everyone was hoping for a good distraction in the currently gloomy circumstance.

“Okay, lads,” said Oliver during his traditional pre-match talk on Saturday morning during breakfast, a ritual that really ought to be done by the Captain Aragorn, who had long given up trying to reign Oliver in, “big game today. We’ve been training really hard and the weather conditions are almost ideal. Crisp but sunny so make sure you don’t fly directly into the sunlight. Now, let’s finish our breakfast and head down to the changing room.”

“Good luck!” Fíli’s encouragement made Kíli smile. He was more confident this time and felt good about their chances. Once they were inside the changing room, everyone started changing into their Quidditch gear until the door burst open and Professor Bard walked in.

“What’s the matter, Professor?” asked Oliver, checking his watch. “Is the match starting early today?”

“No.” The frown lines on Professor Bard’s face had never been so prominent that it looked deep enough to fit the whole Quidditch team in, which made Kíli’s heart sink. Somehow he knew what had happened. “The match has been cancelled and everyone’s to go back to their Common Room immediately. Come on, I’m escorting you out now.”

His mouth hanging open like a fish out of water, it took Oliver a moment to recover. “You’ve got to be joking, Professor!” Oliver’s face was so red that Kíli was certain he was going to explode at any minute. “You can’t just cancel Quidditch!”

“Of course we can, Mister Wood.” Lady Galadriel’s firm voice made everyone look up. She still looked unearthly beautiful, for even the deeply concerned look on her face could not mar her beauty. “There has been another attack inside the castle. The Quidditch match will be postponed until we can ensure all the students’ security.”

“Who’s been attacked?” asked Elladan, his usual jovial and mischievous face serious now.

“Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker,” sighed Lady Galadriel. “I would ask you to refrain from probing too much into this and respect her privacy. She is currently under the care of Mister Oín and I’m sure she’ll make a full recovery once the new batch of Mandrake Restorative Draught is ready.”

This was almost Kíli’s worst fear. He could not help but think that Cho was paying for the price of beating Slytherin in Quidditch last weekend. There was simply no other explanation. He knew he could not get to Fíli now because they were not allowed out of their Common Room until further notice but he desperately wanted to see his friend, first to see how he was faring and to ensure that he was safe.

“This is horrible,” sighed Gimli once they were inside their dormitory. “I can’t believe they haven’t caught the attacker yet. How many more will be petrified or even die before someone puts a stop to this?”

“Nobody will when they keep ignoring the obvious.” This blurted out before Kíli could stop himself. But it was too late because Gimli sat up straight and leaned in, his eyes wide as saucers. “What do you mean? Do you know who the attacker is?”

Kíli hesitated. He would have no trouble sharing anything with Fíli for he knew no matter how outlandish his ideas might be, Fíli would always listen and never judge. He was good friends with Gimli but he just did not know if he could trust him with something like this. Reading his hesitation correctly, Gimli snapped, “I’m just as trustworthy as Fíli, you know. Ori and I, we both care about you. We’re your friends just as much as Fíli is. Whatever you tell me, I won’t say a word.”

“Right,” said Kíli, feeling slightly embarrassed. “It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just,” he scratched his head, “I don’t even know if I have it all worked out myself. Nothing makes sense. You’ll probably just think I’m stupid or crazy.”

“Well, you don’t know that for sure, do you?” Gimli waved impatiently, “So why don’t you tell me what you think so I can decide for myself.”

“Right,” Kíli said. Taking a deep breath, he said, “someone has set the monsters from the Chamber of Secrets free to attack the students. It happened once before and it’s happening now. I think it’s someone inside Slytherin, possibly Legolas. I know everybody thinks that Bolg and Azog are innocent because Bolg’s the first victim but I just, I can’t rule Azog out. He’s just so evil.”

To Kíli’s great relief, Gimli did not laugh at him. Instead, he looked thoughtful. “You know what, it kind of makes sense, especially after what has happened to Cho. It’s got to be a Slytherin! I don’t know about Azog though. I mean, since he’s not here in the castle, is he? But I won’t put it past Legolas or his prick of a dad. I’ll give them one thing though. Their bloodline is certainly pure enough and can be dated back to thousands of years ago. Who says they can’t be the heir of Slytherin?”

Kíli felt his inside swell. “So you believe me!”

“I certainly don’t disagree with you, as far as hypotheses go,” said Gimli. “But even if your hypothesis is correct, how can we prove it? We can hardly go to Professor Gandalf or some officials from the Ministry and present your ideas without any pieces of evidence.”

“Then we must get some,” said Kíli firmly. “I’ll get to the bottom of this no matter what it takes. Once we’re allowed to get out of our Common Room, I’ll find Fíli and we’ll figure something out. I’m sure we will.”

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The opportunity to speak to Fíli did not present itself until the next day when students were finally allowed out of their Common Rooms after a thorough search of the castle that yielded nothing useful. Armed with his new theory, Kíli was eager to see Fíli and wasted no time the moment he spotted his friend in the Ravenclaw table.

“How are you feeling?” asked Kíli. As he looked Fíli up and down, he was relieved to find that his friend looked fine except maybe a little tired and pale. “This attack must be quite a shock.”

“It is,” sighed Fíli, “everyone, particularly the team, has been pretty shaken up about it. I caught Arwen crying when nobody’s watching. Even Lindir looked extremely upset. I just wished it wasn’t Cho. She’s such a sweet girl and wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

“I know,” said Kíli sadly. Even though he knew little about Cho, he could tell she was a nice girl from their limited interactions. She would always smile at him whenever they met and was always polite and kind. Perhaps that was why she was chosen. Kíli felt that the likes of Legolas or Azog could not stand someone as nice and good as Cho.

“We must avenge her by finding the true attacker,” said Kíli with such conviction in his voice that Fíli smiled. 

“I know we can do it as long as you put your mind to it. Now, knowing you, you must have a thousand new theories by now.”

Kíli grinned. “Well, kind of. I couldn’t sneak out to find you last night but I did discuss with Gimli.” After explaining his hypothesis, he looked with anticipation at Fíli, hoping that his best friend would have equal confidence in his ideas.

“Hmm, I don’t know if I agree with you that Azog was somehow involved,” said Fíli after a moment’s silence. “As Gimli said, he’s not even in the castle to do it. But I have to agree with you. It’s got to be a Slytherin. It might even be Legolas.”

“Exactly!” Kíli was so relieved that he felt like pumping his fist in the air in triumph. “I bet you anything the attacker’s cackling in the Slytherin Common Room with all his thug mates. If only we could get inside and catch him in the act.”

“There might be a way,” said Fíli slowly. “But it’s extremely risky, not to mention breaking about a thousand rules in the process.”

“What is it?” asked Kíli eagerly. It was not that he liked to break rules, no matter what Thorin might think. Yet he felt that it was a sacrifice worth making to get a confession out of the heir of Slytherin and stop the attacks.

Fíli looked like he was regretting mentioning this idea to start with. “There is a very advanced, complex, and dark Potion that will allow you to turn into someone else for a short period of time. I’ve only read about it once.”

“But you can make it?”

“I don’t know,” shrugged Fíli, “I’ve never seen the actual recipe. You can only find that in the Restricted Section of the library, you see.”

“So we just need a Professor’s signature,” said Kíli with more confidence than he felt. “I’m sure we can find someone.”

This was easier said than done. Thorin and Dwalin were ruled out first because Fíli told Kíli flat out that neither of them could ever be tricked into signing something like this. Similarly, Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond were too canny to be fooled. Neither was foolish enough to approach Professor Gandalf, of course.

“What about Professor Bilbo?” asked Kíli but Fíli shook his head. “Professor Bilbo might look soft and easygoing but he’s no fool. Unless you can give him a good reason, he won’t sign. And trust me, you don’t want to lie to Professor Bilbo. If you break his trust, it’ll take you a lot to regain his faith in you, not to mention the immense guilt you’ll feel.”

“Fine,” Kíli felt deflated, “I reckon Professor Balin and Bard are out too. I mean, neither of their subjects justifies a visit to the Restricted Section of the library, does it? I don’t really know any other professors, except…”

There was only one left, Dáin. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In order to concoct the Polyjuice Potion, some rules must be broken and some plans must be made. Will they succeed despite all the odds?

Getting the signature from Dáin was surprisingly easy. They did need the help of Gimli since neither Fíli nor Kíli had shown any particular interest or aptitude in the Care of Magical Creatures like Gimli did. Under the pretence of wishing to read up more on dangerous beasts and how their body parts could be used in advanced potions, Gimli managed to get a signature to borrow books from the Restricted Section of the library from Dáin without any problem.

“Professor Dáin kept going on and on about how those books should not be in the Restricted Section,” said Kíli who had accompanied Gimli to see Dáin. “The way he describes those dangerous animals, you’d think they’re fluffy pets.”

“Well, that’s Professor Dáin for you,” laughed Fíli. “Come on, let’s go to the library.”

Once they were inside the library, they presented the note to Dori, who looked suspicious at first until he saw the name of Dáin. “Of course,” muttered Dori while shaking his head in exasperation. “Alright, help yourself, lads. I’ve got some organisation to do.”

“We should borrow a book on dark and dangerous animals just in case,” said Fíli. “This way no one will get suspicious.”

“Great idea,” Gimli nodded, rubbing his hands together in excitement. “I do want to check out some of those beasts.”

“You’re sounding more and more like Professor Dáin,” said Kíli half-joking, half-serious, “and this is not a compliment.”

“Says the one who’s about to break a thousand school rules.” Gimli retorted back, which unfortunately was quite true. The book that they needed was called  _ Moste Potente Potions _ . It contained detailed descriptions and steps on how to make some of the vilest and gruesome Potions Kíli had ever seen. In fact, the Polyjuice Potion seemed the most benign one of them all. “Yuck, look at this one. The witch’s hatching spiders on her head!”

“Okay, we better leave now.” Fíli hissed and shot a furtive look around. Kíli thought the need to obey rules was so ingrained in Fíli’s mind from his upbringing that he could never be at ease when he was about to break one. “We can read the books in more detail later. I don’t want Mister Dori to come and check on us.”

Once they were safely outside the scrutiny of Dori, Fíli and Kíli bid Gimli farewell to go back to the Ravenclaw Tower. Fíli’s reasoning was that Ravenclaws were less likely to probe into others’ business while Ori would be in the library anyway.

“Okay, so what do you make of the Polyjuice Potion?” Kíli asked once they were inside the thankfully empty dormitory of Fíli. “Is this something you can whip up?”

Fíli looked slightly exasperated at Kíli’s question, “This is hardly a walk in the park, you know. It’s in the Restricted Section for a good reason. From what I can tell, it’s devilishly complicated and very tricky to make. It’s going to take at least a month,” he pointed to a section of the brewing instructions. “See here? The lacewings must be brewed 21 days before you can even start making the actual potion. The fluxweed must also be picked at the full moon for it to work.”

“So we have to endure another month of potential attacks before we can even interrogate Legolas?” This was not exactly what Kíli had envisioned. He was hoping for something quick and effective.

“This is our only option unless you have a better idea,” sighed Fíli. “Trust me, I have no wish to brew this potion in secret, not to mention stealing ingredients from uncle’s personal cupboard."

“Stealing from Professor Thorin?” Kíli knew his voice must be an octave higher than usual but he simply could not bring himself to care. There were rules he was willing to break to catch the attacker. Stealing from Thorin, however, was a line he was reluctant to cross.

“Yes, the Potion requires boomslang skin and some other ingredients that are not available to students.”

“Can’t we order some from Diagon Alley?” Kíli would rather spend money to procure those ingredients legally than breaking and stealing from Thorin’s private storage.

Fíli shook his head. “Those aren’t sold in Diagon Alley. They’re sourced from specific supplies to deal only with the Potion Masters. Our only hope is uncle’s cupboard.”

“I think I’d rather face the monster from the Chamber of Secrets,” muttered Kíli. When Fíli gave him an unimpressed look, he caved in. “Fine. I’m not doing the stealing though. Professor Thorin will skin me alive and use my body parts for potion making if I’m ever discovered. But he won’t hurt you.”

“Fine,” sighed Fíli, rolling his eyes dramatically, “I see that I have to do everything here.”

“Do you know how to break into Professor Thorin’s office?” Kíli asked with a grin.

“Well, uncle’s office is protected by blood magic so I reckon I’m the only one who can get in. We need to…”

“Blood magic?” interrupted Kíli, looking horrified. “Isn’t that Dark Arts? Do you have to sacrifice something or what?”

“No, nothing as dramatic as that. It just means that it can’t be accessed by anyone who’s not of the same blood unless the guests enter with the host at the same time. It’s not exactly dark magic but it’s very ancient and extremely powerful. Uncle enacted the ward after the last break-in to his office.”

Even though Fíli looked as if this was nothing, Kíli was not sure how he felt about blood magic. It all sounded barbaric to him, coming from a Muggle background. He held his tongue though and motioned Fíli to continue with his planning.

“Right, we need to create a diversion to make sure that uncle won’t come back to his office while I’m inside,” said Fíli matter-of-factly. “My thoughts are if we can get a Slytherin student in trouble, uncle will be preoccupied with his student and won’t come to his office.”

Kíli looked at Fíli as if he had gone mad. How many rules were they going to break to brew this potion? “But, who are we going to pick and how?”

“Hmm,” Fíli tapped his chin with his finger, looking pensive and wiser than his age, “it can’t be anyone who has a history with us. It’d be too obvious that way. So Bolg and Legolas are out. Besides, it will probably put Legolas more on guard. In fact, I think it’s best if we ask Gimli to create the diversion. Maybe he can get Feren into some kind of accident or something. He can even blame it on Quidditch. You can then go and find uncle to drag him to the scene. I’ll then sneak into his office to steal the ingredients.”

“Right,” Kíli was working hard to wrap his mind around it, “so we need to convince Gimli to join in as well. What if he doesn’t want to?”

“Oh, trust me, he’ll want to,” Fíli smiled. “Anything to get a Slytherin Quidditch player in trouble is fine by Gimli. Besides, we won’t actually hurt Feren. I think Lindir can get some joke products from the evil twins. They’ve been experimenting with those and are dying for some testers.”

“And I thought I was the impulsive one,” muttered Kíli. Fíli rolled his eyes. “Would you rather do nothing and let Legolas and his dad get away with all the attackers?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Taking a deep breath, Kíli nodded. “Fine, I’m in. Let’s talk to Gimli about it.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just as Fíli had predicted, convincing Gimli was extremely easy.

“Of course I’ll do it,” said Gimli with such enthusiasm that Kíli almost did a double-take. “Are you sure it has to be Feren though? I’d rather it be His Highness.”

“It can’t be Legolas,” Fíli explained patiently. “We’ve gone through this. Besides, he’ll get his comeuppance once we get the truth out of him.

“Fine.” Gimli conceded reluctantly. “Feren it is then. Pity. He’s a decent bloke. So, I’ll go talk to the evil twins. I’m sure they have something that works.”

“Good,” said Fíli with a sigh of relief. “In the meantime, I’ll start preparing the Polyjuice Potions here. I reckon it’s better than my dormitory because Ori, bless him, will have a heart attack if he finds out.”

So the plan started. Using Kíli and Gimli’s dormitory as their base, Fíli spent most of his spare time there working on the potion. Thanks to the cancellation of the Quidditch matches, both Kíli and Fíli had more free time to dedicate to solving this mystery. While Fíli was brewing feverishly, Kíli had decided to occupy his time by studying the list of Hogwarts Pureblood families and trying to eliminate their suspect pool as much as possible.

“I’ve just got confirmation from Lindir, Bolg and Feren can both be accounted for when Cho was attacked. They were in the Great Hall during breakfast before they headed to the Quidditch Pitch, Bolg by himself and Feren with some of his Slytherin Quidditch teammates. Lindir saw them walking there and settling into their seats in the Slytherin stands. So neither of them could have attacked Cho,” said Kíli during one of their now regular brewing sessions.

“Did he see Legolas with them?” asked Fíli, his eyes still fixed on the bubbling potion.

Kíli shook his head. “Not the whole time. He was pretty sure he saw Legolas at the breakfast table but by the time he left for the Quidditch pitch, Legolas was still there, writing something. He did see Legolas later in the Slytherin stands but there’s this gap during which he had no idea where Legolas was.”

“Hmm,” Fíli paused mid-stirring. “So technically, Legolas could have done it, but only if he’s exceptionally fast about it.”

“Well, yeah.” Kíli was frankly a bit disheartened about this. Could they be wrong this whole time? For surely Legolas could not manage to sneak into the Chamber of Secrets, set the monster free, lead the monster to Cho (without being seen by anyone else), attack Cho, lead the monster back to the Chamber, and then make it to the Quidditch match.

“Can we rule out anyone else?” Fíli asked as he looked up and saw Kíli’s crestfallen expression. “Don’t just write Legolas off yet. Elves are known for their speed. Besides, what if he is an accomplice, not the actual attacker.”

“Right,” said Kíli, his spirit buoyed by Fíli’s encouragement. “I did manage to cross out a few more names, mostly Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs because they were in the stands to watch the match, some confirmed by you. But the list is still long.”

“Once we get a confession or any kind of information out of Legolas, we can narrow that list down significantly.”

Kíli wished with all his heart that Fíli was correct.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the fluxweed had been prepared, Fíli informed Kíli and Gimli that the next stage of the brewing must commence, which meant that they must put their little heist plan into action.

“I've talked to Elladan.” Gimli rummaged in his school bag before producing a small piece of sweet. “Here’s what he gave me. It’s a Boil Bouche. It looked like a nougat but after you eat it, you’ll be covered in angry red boils. The evil twins invented it so it’ll take them a while to figure out what has happened. That should give us enough time to steal the ingredients.”

“Why on earth would the evil twins invent something like that?” Kíli had to admit he was impressed by their magical ability. Their motivation, however, remained beyond his grasp.

“It’s part of their skiving snack box collection,” Gimli grinned. “The idea is once you eat the sweets, you’ll develop some sort of symptom that can excuse you from classes. Once you’re out, you can eat another piece of the sweet that contains the antidote and be symptom-free to enjoy the free period.”

Fíli shook his head. “Those two are seriously using their talent in the wrong place. Instead of studying, they’re only thinking about pranks and rule-breaking.”

“You sound like Professor Thorin,” smirked Gimli. “A bit ironic, isn’t it, seeing that you’re about to break into his office and steal his stuff.” That did silence Fíli’s protest.

“Okay, so the plan is to slip this into Feren’s pocket?” asked Kíli. “Are you sure he’s going to eat it? He doesn’t look like the type to eat tons of sweets.”

“I’m sure,” said Gimli with confidence. “He’s actually got a sweet tooth. I’ve done my homework and have been tailing him recently. A bit creepy, I know. But I did for the cause so shut it you two!”

Kíli fought hard not to snigger. He could only imagine what it must have looked like, with Gimli following Feren around like a lost puppy and everything.

“Anyway,” Gimli gave both of them a reproachful glare before continuing, “I’ve seen him eat nougat chunks countless times. Lindir told me that he always has some sweets in his school bag so I doubt he can tell if there’s one extra. I’ll slip it in before dinner. He likes to have some sweets after dinner, most likely in the library.”

“Hmm, good job.” Fíli looked equally amused. “Very detailed and thorough.” 

Gimli rolled his eyes. “Gits! Anyway, the sweets don't take long to take effect so you can go and find Professor Thorin then.”

“Is this going to keep him there long enough?” asked Kíli. “What if he needs some potions in his office? I can’t keep him there.” The last thing he wanted was for Thorin to go back to his office before Fíli could get the ingredients.

“Hmm,” Gimli looked pensive before perking up. “I’ve got an idea, I’ll eat the Boil Bouche too.”

“What?” Both Fíli and Kíli cried out at the same time. What was Gimli thinking?

“No, it’s brilliant!” Gimli said with such great fervour that he could very well be getting a new broomstick, not eating a boil-inducing sweet. “First of all, Professor Thorin won’t suspect me because I’m sick too. Secondly, I can delay him in the Hospital Wing. He'll be more likely to listen to my whining and moaning because believe it or not, Professor Thorin’s got a soft spot for those that he cares about.”

“That’s actually true,” said Fíli slowly. “Uncle will indeed cave if he thinks that this will make you feel better. He did that all the time when I got ill as a kid. So,” he turned to Kíli, “when Gimli’s distracting uncle, you can keep a lookout in case he does come back early. Find a way to distract him and create some noise so I know to get out. I think that should work.”

To Kíli’s utter astonishment, the first part of the plan went smoothly without any hiccups. As Kíli watched on nervously from the side, Gimli marched confidently towards the group of Slytherins who were ready to file into the Great Hall. Luck was on their side because Feren was deep in conversation with a sixth year Slytherin girl, providing Gimli with the perfect opportunity to…

“Ouch,” cried Feren as Gimli bumped purposefully into him while surreptitiously dropping the joke sweets into his bag. “Watch where you’re going!”

“Right, really sorry about that, mate,” Gimli said with such sincerity that Kíli had to applaud his acting. “I wasn’t watching.” 

Looking sufficiently mollified, Feren nodded curtly and turned his attention back to his female companion. Legolas, who was standing close by, however, gave Gimli a haughty disdainful look before heading to the Slytherin table.

“Arrogant, stupid peacock,” muttered Gimli heatedly. Kíli had to agree. Next to Feren, the poor innocent victim, Legolas’s reaction looked even more irritating.

Dinner was a tense affair for Kíli. He kept shooting nervous glances at the Slytherin table, trying to see if Feren had decided to eat the sweet earlier than predicted. It was not until Fíli kicked him hard under the table that he stopped.

“Ouch!” cried Kíli. Glaring at Fíli, he asked angrily, “what was that for?”

“You’re looking very fidgety and guilty,” hissed Fíli warningly. “If you keep doing that, someone’s going to notice and the whole plan will explode. Just act normal and for Mahal’s sake, stop looking at the Slytherin table!” 

“Right, sorry,” muttered Kíli but this did stop him looking over every 20 seconds. He was still nervous throughout dinner that he hardly noticed what he was eating. After putting some ketchup in his pumpkin juice, Kíli almost ate his fork, had Fíli not stopped him.

Just as Gimli had predicted, Feren left for the library after dinner without eating any of the sweets from his bag. Kíli waited for 30 seconds before leaving the Gryffindor table as well. It did not take him long to catch up with Feren on his way to the library but Kíli made sure that he kept his distance. Once inside, he picked a table at the corner not far from where Feren was sitting and waited. Sure enough, Feren’s hand reached for his school bag not 10 minutes after he started revising.

Gimli had not described the effect of the Boil Bouche in detail, which was why Kíli was shocked to witness it firsthand. The number of boils and their sizes on Feren’s handsome face were simply alarming. It seemed like they were more than just harmless too, for Feren was soon crying out in pain while clutching his face.

“Are you alright?” Kíli cried as he rushed to Feren’s side. The anxiety in his voice was genuine because he was truly worried about the Elf Seeker. Those boils looked nastily painful. What if they were permanent? “What’s wrong?”

“Boils…” The boils had swollen up so much that Feren could barely speak. Getting more and more concerned, Kíli almost acted instinctively without the plan in mind. “Don’t panic. I’m going to find Professor Thorin and he’ll know what to do. Just stay here! I’ll be right back.”

The distance between the library and Thorin’s office had never seemed so long to Kíli. Puffing and panting, he practically pounded on Thorin’s office door.

“What in the name of….” Thorin’s question was immediately cut short when he saw the dishevelled and panicked state Kíli was in. “What’s the matter? Is Fíli hurt?”

“No,” gasped Kíli, still trying to catch his breath from the running. “It’s Feren, in the library.”

“Follow me.” Thorin’s calm and authoritative voice was music to Kíli’s fluttering heart. Feeling that finally, someone was in control, he trailed behind Thorin’s long purposeful strides dutifully to the library.

A quick look at Feren, or rather who used to be Feren, told Kíli that the situation had only deteriorated. Feren was now covered in boils from head and toe and was moaning loudly in great agony. Thorin lost no time in rushing to his students. With a wave of his wand, he conjured a pair of stretchers and levitated them out of the library with Feren on it, no doubt to the Hospital Wing.

Now remembering their plan, Kíli hurried to find Fíli who had been waiting patiently in an empty classroom next to Thorin’s office.

“Is everything okay?” whispered Fíli, for which Kíli honestly had no answer to. Was Feren going to be fine? Would Gimli be fine if he decided to follow up on his plan and eat the sweet himself? They were short on time, however, and Kíli could not afford to dwell on such thoughts. So he simply shrugged and beckoned Fíli forward. Together they arrived outside Thorin’s office. Kíli watched in amazement as Fíli pushed the door open with no difficulty at all. As he stepped into the office, Kíli could see a warm golden glow ripple in the air, welcoming Fíli in. That must be the blood ward. Once inside, Fíli turned around and gave Kíli a thumbs up and a bright smile before closing the door.

Now all Kíli needed to do was to keep watch. This proved harder than he thought because now that he had nothing else to occupy his mind, Kíli found his thoughts drift back to Feren and possibly Gimli. Please let them be alright, thought Kíli desperately. He might not like Feren that much because he was the Slytherin Seeker but he had no wish to see Feren seriously harmed. The Elf had never hurt him and was certainly a much nicer wizard than some of his Housemates.

Minute by minute, time trickled by. In Kíli’s worried and concerned mind, Fíli seemed to have been inside for an eternity. He wondered what took his friend so long. To add to his worries, the noises inside the castle had started to die down. It was getting late and students were heading back into their Common Rooms. With no watch to tell the time, Kíli hoped that they had not stayed past curfew.

The heavy footsteps approaching made Kíli jump. Was that Thorin coming back or someone else? He strained his ears but could not tell for sure from the footsteps alone. It was certainly an adult Dwarf though. Not willing to risk their plan, Kíli scanned around frantically for some kind of distraction. Unfortunately, nobody was around apart from a heavy suit of armour. As the footsteps grew nearer, Kíli threw caution to the wind and ran head straight into the suit of armour, knocking it down with noises loud enough to wake up the entire castle. Unfortunately, in his eagerness to create as much noise as possible, Kíli was overzealous in his run and lost his balance. The next thing he knew, he was rolling down the staircases with a suit of armour on top of him, almost knocking himself out in the process.

“Kíli?” Thorin’s deep voice was both alarmed and concerned. Too pained to open his eyes, Kíli could only moan pitifully under the suit of armour, which seemed to grow heavier by the second. Fortunately, Thorin came to his rescue and soon removed the suit of armour from him. “What in the name of Merlin are you doing here?”

“I was running,” wheezed Kíli, his chest hurting, “I thought I saw… I tripped and…”

“Oh, sweet Mahal,” sighed Thorin and he put his strong arm under Kíli to scoop him up as if he weighed nothing. Blinded by pain and slightly delirious from all the excitement, Kíli instinctively held on to Thorin, burying his head to the crook of the older Dwarf’s neck. He could feel Thorin tense under him for a second but he could not seem to care. Despite all his discomfort, Kíli had never felt so secure before.

“Everything will be fine,” said Thorin soothingly. “I’ll take you to the Hospital Wing and I’m sure Oín can sort it out in a heartbeat.”

The Hospital Wing was becoming too familiar for Kíli’s liking. The look on Oín’s face said pretty much the same thing. “Another one?” boomed Oín who looked exhausted. “What is it with these young lads? Let me see,” he approached Kíli and ran some simple diagnostic spells, “some fractured bones, many bruises but luckily no concussion. Put him there, next to the bed of Gimli. That boil’s not contagious.”

“Nice of you to join us,” grinned Gimli, whose face was also covered in angry red spots. He looked much better than Feren, who had already blissfully passed out. Kíli reckoned the potions in the sweet must react differently because of their races. Before Kíli could ask Gimli more on how he felt, Oín came with a tray of potions.

“Here you go, lad,” said Oín. “Be glad you didn’t have any bones missing. Otherwise, it’s Skele-Gro for you. Here, drink up.”

The potions were revolting but they did their job. Kíli could no longer feel the sharp pain but a dull ache, which was much more bearable. In the meantime, Oín gave Gimli even more potions, which Gimli took while grumbling and moaning. The potions were effective and the boils in Gimli’s face faded slightly. Satisfied with Kíli and Gimli’s progress, Oín left to attend to Feren while Thorin finally excused himself to go back to his office.

Once Oín and Thorin had left them to their rest, Gimli whispered to Kíli, “has Fíli…” 

“I don’t know,” Kíli whispered back. He hoped with all his heart that Fíli had succeeded because otherwise, he would have hurt himself for nothing.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kíli was woken up by the commotion in the Hospital Wing the next morning. Opening his eyes groggily, he was greeted with Fíli’s anxious face.

“Are you okay?” Fíli asked, his eyes red with exhaustion. “I heard the noise last night but I didn’t realise it was so,” he looked around to find the right word, “dramatic.”

Kíli rolled his eyes. He was feeling a lot better after the potions last night and a good night’s rest. Next to him, Gimli was still blissfully asleep, his boils almost gone, leaving only small red spots on his face. “I’m fine, honestly. I didn’t plan to throw myself down the stairs with a suit of armour, you know? I slipped and it just happened.”

“Still,” frowned Fíli, “you were hurt, weren’t you?”

“Not badly, much better than Gimli and certainly Feren.”

Both of them turned to look at the Elf on the bed in the corner. Kíli had no idea if it was due to Feren’s pale skin, but the boils, which were only slightly deflated than the day before, looked particularly menacing and prominent. Feren hadn’t woken up either, either asleep or unconscious Kíli could not tell. He hoped that the Elf would recover soon with no lingering effects.

“I didn’t know the sweets would be so powerful,” whispered Fíli, as he grimaced before averting his eyes. Clearly, the state Feren was in was distressing for him to watch too. “I hope he’s alright.”

“Mister Oín doesn’t seem overly worried,” said Kíli, more to comfort himself than Fíli. “I’m sure he’ll sort Feren out.” He turned to Fíli and frowned. The closer he looked at Fíli, the worse his friend appeared. “You look like death warmed up. What happened?”

“Oh, I just decided to get a move on with brewing the potion since now I have all the ingredients.”

“How did you get inside Gryffindor Tower?” Kíli asked incredulously.

“I used the password, of course,” said Fíli as if Kíli was being stupid. “You gave it to me, remember?” He now looked even more concerned. “You didn’t get a concussion, did you?”

Rolling his eyes once again, Kíli said, “I meant how come nobody tried to stop you? You were by yourself.”

“I told them I was looking for you and they let me pass,” shrugged Fíli as if he had not just stayed up all night in the dormitory of the wrong House while working on a restricted and highly dangerous potion. “Nobody bothered me afterwards.”

“Remind me to tell those gits not to be so gullible next time,” muttered Kíli and Fíli laughed. “Come on, don’t be such a killjoy. We’re almost there! Another week or so and we’ll have the potion.”

“So we can interrogate Legolas now?” This was the first piece of news that lifted Kíli’s mood. Finally, all their efforts seemed to have paid off.

“Not yet,” said Fíli as he cast another look around to make sure they could not be overheard. “We still need a couple of things. But let’s get out of here first. I don’t want anyone to eavesdrop on us.”

It did not take Oín long to clear Kíli of all injuries and let him go. Once they were outside the Hospital Wing, Fíli continued their conversation. “First of all, who are we going to impersonate? I think it should be a Slytherin because Legolas doesn’t really talk to anyone else. But no matter who we choose, we must also ensure that they do not show up in the middle of our interrogation.”

This was a complication Kíli did not foresee. Now that Fíli mentioned it, it made sense, for they could hardly charge into the Slytherin Common Room while whoever they were impersonating could walk in on them. “How can we make sure they don’t interrupt us then? Please don’t tell me you need another sweet from the evil twins. This one might end up killing someone.”

“My thoughts exactly,” shuddered Fíli. “No, I think something much simpler would do this time. All we need is a powerful sleeping draught, which I can brew with no particular trouble. We’ll then spike either their food or drink. The harder part will be to get them alone so we can hide them somewhere that nobody will find them by accident.”

If Kíli was honest with himself, he had to admit that the plan was sounding more and more convoluted with so many places that could go wrong. Had they not been so deep in it, Kíli would almost be tempted to call it quits. “Okay, so we must find someone thick enough that they will first eat something spiked and ideally will not notice something’s happened after they wake up.”

“Yeah pretty much,” nodded Fíli. “So Feren’s out. Besides, I reckon he deserves a break. But I’m thinking Yazneg and Grinnah. Legolas was close to them, or at least he was last year. So if he’s going to divulge any information, it’ll be to them. Yazneg’s dad used to work for Azog too and he’s a suspected Death Eater. He’s actually on our list. It might even be him.”

Yazneg and Grinnah were both Slytherins of their year and probably the most obtuse people one could ever meet. Kíli loathed both of them for neither would lose an opportunity to mock him and were constantly by Legolas’s and now Bolg’s side. He, therefore, had no compunction to drug and impersonate them. “That works for me. Now we just need to get them on their own.”

“I doubt that’ll be a problem,” said Fíli with a grin. “They often sneak downstairs to the kitchen for extra food. Lindir does the same and he’s bumped into them many times. From what he can tell me, both have a sweet tooth so I reckon if we place some cakes in the corridor to the kitchen, they might very well pick it up.”

“Will they really be that thick?” asked Kíli but he felt he knew the answer already. “So after we drug them, where do we hide them?”

“In the nearby cupboard. I’ve checked that area frequently and nobody except the occasional House Elves uses that cupboard, not even Alfrid. The House Elves only use them after the castle goes to sleep because that’s when they clean the castle. We’ll be safe during the day. Nobody will find them.”

“Right,” said Kíli slowly, trying to process all the information. “How long do we need them out for?”

“An hour or so I reckon,” said Fíli. “I doubt this batch of Polyjuice Potion can last more than an hour.”

“We’ll need their clothes and shoes too, won’t we?” This thought did not sit well with Kíli. Yazneg was an Orc and always looked filthy, which may not entirely be his fault for that was almost a pre-existing condition of all Orcs. Yet still, the idea of putting on something that had once touched Yazneg made Kíli a bit queasy.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Fíli sighed as he too had spotted the potential problem. “But more than that, we need a bit of whoever we’re changing into.”

That made Kíli choke on his own saliva. A bit of Yazneg in the potion that he had to drink. Kíli almost gagged. “Please tell me you’re joking!”

“Of course I’m not.” It was Fíli’s turn to roll his eyes. “Seriously Kíli, how does the potion know who we want to impersonate without it?”

“I thought a spell would do the job,” said Kíli, his face still green. “It’s going to be disgusting to drink!”

“It’s probably disgusting to drink anyway,” deadpanned Fíli. “Come on, we’ve got to do it. I’ll just take some hair from them. I’m sure it won’t be that bad.”

All this discussion nearly made Kíli lose his appetite completely. Still, he needed the food so he followed Fíli reluctantly into the Great Hall for some breakfast. The moment he walked in, Kíli could feel Thorin’s eyes on him. Looking up timidly, he was surprised to find concern in those deep dark blue eyes. When Thorin raised a questioning eyebrow, Kíli simply smiled at the older Dwarf, who nodded stiffly and returned to his breakfast.

“Uncle’s really warming up to you now, isn’t he?” Fíli commented offhandedly. Thinking back on his relationship with Thorin, Kíli had to agree. The surly Potions Master seemed to care about Kíli’s safety and wellbeing, at least to some extent, which was quite remarkable given their rocky start. This discovery made Kíli feel both elated and guilty. He had just deceived Thorin last night and was about to break another 10,000 rules in the next week or so. Kíli sincerely hoped that everything would go to plan so Thorin would never know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I hope you enjoy it too :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With another attack and another student petrified, it was time to take their investigation to another level. With Gimli's help, they had finally discovered the secret of the monster at the Chamber.

The Polyjuice Potion was ready the next weekend, along with the Sleeping Draught. The timing was perfect because it was the Easter holidays and at least half of the school had left to spend some time with the family. Even those who had remained were nowhere to be seen inside the castle. The warming weather in April meant that all the students who had been cooped up in the castle for the long winter could now enjoy the outdoors. The library was almost deserted since everyone preferred to take their homework outside. Even though Quidditch matches were still suspended until further notice, the more zealous players like Oliver Wood and Legolas would waste no time in taking advantage of the weather and practising on their own. 

“Now we just need to catch Yazneg and Grinnah,” said Kíli nervously during breakfast on Saturday. The subjects of their discussion were currently digging into their hearty breakfast. “And make sure we can find Legolas.”

“We’ll tail them after breakfast,” said Fíli with confidence that Kíli doubted he felt. “I’m sure they’ll stay until all the food has disappeared and sneak down to the kitchen for more. They arrived late for breakfast today.”

True to Fíli’s words, Yazneg and Grinnah were the last to leave and both looked disgruntled even though they had practically inhaled half the table worth of food. Motioning Kíli closer, Fíli rose from his seat and followed the Slytherin pair at a reasonable distance.

“How are we going to place the spiked cake if we’re behind them,” whispered Kíli. “What if they discover us?”

“They won’t,” Fíli whispered back, his eyes shining with equal amounts of concern and excitement. “They’re so focused on food that I doubt they can spot a Blast-Ended Skrewt unless it stands in their way to the kitchen. As for the cakes, I’ve already asked Gimli to place them in the corridor.”

Impressed by Fíli’s planning and quick thinking, Kíli felt slightly more reassured. Once they had reached the corridor to the kitchen, they hid behind a statue and watched as, sure enough, Yazneg and Grinnah practically lunged for the cakes that were sitting on the window ledge. Grinning with madness, both of them gulped the cake down in one go. The euphoric look on their ugly faces was soon replaced with a blank expression as they toppled over and started snoring loudly.

“How thick can you get?” said Kíli, feeling both relieved and amazed.

“Never mind that!” Fíli rushed towards the pair and checked them over to make sure that they were indeed asleep. “We need to do something about the snoring. It will attract unwanted attention I’m sure.”

“Er,” Kíli was at a loss, “sure but how? I mean we can’t really put a pillow on them, can we? They’ll smother to death.”

“I might be able to,” said Fíli slowly, his eyebrows so knitted together that they appeared to form one angry line. “There’s this spell. I’ve read about it but I’ve never tried it. It’s an O.W.L. level spell that you learn in your fifth year and I…”

“Just try it,” said Kíli urgently, “I’m sure it will be fine.”

“But… Okay.” Taking a deep breath, Fíli raised his wand. With a wave and a jab, he said loudly and clearly, “Silencio.”

Nothing happened. The snoring of the Yazneg and Grinnah was as loud as ever. The next two tries from Fíli only managed to reduce the noise slightly. Kíli chanced a quick look at Fíli and was not surprised to find his friend looking both frustrated and panicked. 

“It’s okay,” said Kíli in a soothing tone, “I’m sure we can…”

“No, it’s not okay,” hissed Fíli anxiously. “We need to silence them. Here, you try it.”

“Are you su…” But the look on Fíli’s face made Kíli stop. Closing his eyes, he went over Fíli’s wand movement in his head before raising his wand, channelling his magic and, “Silencio”. 

The corridor was finally quiet. For a split second, Kíli had the crazy fear that he had finally managed to kill them. To his great relief, Yazneg and Grinnah’s chests were still moving up and down in a rhythmic fashion.

“You did it!” The look on Fíli’s face was hard to pinpoint. Instead of the proud smile that he hoped Fíli would wear, Kíli thought his friend looked surprised and maybe a little jealous. Before he could analyse it further, however, Fíli had rushed to the next step of the plan. “Come on, let’s get them to the cupboard. We need to be quick. We’ve already lost some time.”

Once Yazneg and Grinnah were safely stuffed into the cupboard, which was quite a feat given the height and weight differences between the two pairs, Fíli yanked some hair from both Slytherins before starting to strip them.

“Eugh, they look disgusting,” shrieked Kíli as he tried to shield his eyes from the naked body parts of Yazneg and Grinnah. “I think I’m permanently traumatised.”

Fíli rolled his eyes so dramatically that Kíli worried that his eyes might get stuck. “Seriously Kíli, you don’t even need to touch them. Here,” he handed Kíli the clothes he had stripped off Grinnah. Picking them up gingerly with just his thumb and index finger, Kíli scrunched up his nose in distaste. Did he really have to wear that?

“Okay, now we need to go find a lavatory to change,” said Fíli who seemed to have no problem with Yazneg’s clothes. Maybe growing up with Orcs had desensitised him. Once they were inside a nearby lavatory and changed into their respective clothes, Fíli rummaged inside his own robes, now discarded on the floor, to retrieve two bottles of Polyjuice Potion. Adding the hair to the bottles, Fíli gave them a little shake and both of them watched in amazement as the potions turned to resemble...

“Yuck,” cried Kíli and even Fíli looked slightly queasy this time. The colours of the potions were absolutely off-putting. Grinnah’s looked like greyish mud while Yazneg’s was of a dark brown colour.

“I think I’m going to be sick before I even drink it.” Kíli wondered why he put himself through this and hoped with all his heart that their interrogation of Legolas would give them some useful information to make this ordeal worthwhile.

“Well, we’ve got no other choice,” sighed Fíli. “Here, cheers.”

The moment he drank the potion, Kíli could feel his insides writhing and churning. Clutching the side of the sink, he almost fell to his knees. Next to him, Fíli was only doing marginally better. His face was pale and large beads of sweat were falling down his cheek. Yet he clenched his teeth and made no sound, for which Kíli admired him.

Just as soon as the intense feelings hit, they disappeared quickly too. Standing up, Kíli was astounded to find himself a carbon copy of Grinnah, from the wrinkly pointed ears to the yellowish eyes to the rotten teeth. He was much taller too and it was strange walking with extra long limbs.

“You alright?” Yazneg’s deep voice startled Kíli. The Polyjuice Potion altered one’s voice too, which was convenient because Kíli did not think he had enough strength in him to mimic Grinnah’s voice. Before he could answer, the lavatory door was pushed open, making both of them jump. 

“Blimey!” cried Gimli, whose eyes were wide as saucers. “This is wicked!”

“I asked Gimli to tail Legolas after he placed the cake,” explained Fíli, “and to find us here.”

“This is so strange,” said Gimli still in awe, “to see Yazneg talk intelligently.”

“Right,” said Kíli, still feeling extremely uncomfortable as Grinnah, “so where’s Legolas?”

“In the Slytherin Common Room,” said Gimli who then proceeded to tell them exactly how to get there. “The password is Pureblood. I overheard Legolas when he entered the common room.”

“Figures,” muttered Kíli. “Come on, let’s go and get this over with.”

“Good luck!” cried Gimli as Kíli and Fíli set off to the Slytherin Common Room.

Thanks to Gimli’s detailed instructions, they were able to find the Slytherin Common Room without too much difficulty. The only close call came when they bumped into Tom going into a lavatory. Thankfully Tom was too preoccupied with his destination that he did not seem to notice Fíli and Kíli.

“Isn’t that a girl’s lavatory?” asked Kíli in a whisper, which was quite bizarre now that he had Grinnah’s voice.

“I think so,” frowned Fíli, which appeared ten times more sinister with Yazneg’s face. “But never mind him. We need to get to the Slytherin Common Room quickly. The Polyjuice Potion doesn’t last forever.”

The Slytherin Common Room, as it turned out, was completely deserted save for Bolg, who was lounging in an armchair with a satisfied look on his face. Legolas, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. Kíli could feel his panic rising. Where on earth was the Elf? Next to him, he could feel Fíli tense up too. This was not what they had expected. What were they supposed to do now? Maybe they could ask Bolg where Legolas’s dormitory was and check there. Or should they bail out now? He had no wish to be found as himself in the Slytherin Common Room with Bolg. All those thoughts were coursing through Kíli’s mind so quickly that he felt he was close to hyperventilating. 

Unfortunately, the choices were taken out of their hands when Bolg saw them and beckoned the two fake Slytherins over with his fingers, “Ah, there you two are. I was beginning to think you’d never come back from the kitchen.”

“Got hungry,” muttered Kíli. He could hear the shake in his voice but fortunately, Bolg did not. Instead, he just snorted. “Of course you did. Now, don’t go wander around in the castle if you know what I mean.”

“What do you mean?” asked Kíli before he could stop himself. Fortunately, Bolg seemed used to Grinnah’s stupidity. “Honestly, Grinnah, does your brain retain anything anyone tells you that has nothing to do with food? If you value your worthless skin, you won’t go wander around in case something happens.”

Kíli could feel his hope rise again. What a serendipity this trip would turn out to be if Bolg was the one with the information. He certainly had no wish to leave now. 

“You mean with the monster?” asked Fíli sharply. 

Bolg smirked. “I never said anything. But in case you haven’t noticed, nothing’s happened in the past month. Maybe it’s just the quiet before the storm. When the same thing happened 30 years ago, some stupid Muggleborn died. By Melkor, I hope it’s that filthy little half-blood Kíli Durin or his stupid Dwarf friend Fíli this time. Although I wouldn’t mind a few Muggleborns out of the way either. They’re polluting our blood, you know? That’s why there are more Squibs born out of magical families. Magical blood is diluted because of those Mudbloods and wizards so desperate that they’d marry even a Muggle. Orcs and other magical creatures are feared rather than revered. Can you imagine it? It’s time we take back control of our world, starting from Hogwarts. When my…”

Before Bolg could finish that sentence, however, Mister Lock came out of nowhere. Jumping lightly onto Bolg’s knees, he started staring and hissing at Fíli and Kíli, his back arched, ready to attack.

“What’s the matter, Mister Lock?” Bolg’s soothing and cooing voice was so bizarre and unusual that both Kíli and Fíli stared. This was not a smart move.

“What the hell are you staring at?” snapped Bolg, accompanied by an even more menacing hissing from Mister Lock.

“Nothing, nothing,” said Fíli quickly, which did little to alleviate Bolg’s suspicion.

“What did you do to Mister Lock?” asked Bolg, his eyes scanning from Kíli to Fíli. Kíli tried his best not to fidget. “He’s not usually this hostile. Hang on,” his eyes narrowed at Fíli’s hair, “did you dye your hair lighter?”

Now that Bolg had mentioned it, Kíli could see with horror that he was right. Yazneg’s dark hair was a lighter hazel now. The Polyjuice Potion must be wearing off. They needed to get out of there as quickly as possible.

“Er,” Fíli’s stuttering was thankfully interrupted by the arrival of Legolas, whose hair was still impeccably sleek despite his flying session outside. He raised an eyebrow at the tension between the trio plus Mister Lock but said nothing. Taking this opportunity, Kíli quickly clutched his stomach and started moaning loudly.

“What in the name of Melkor is wrong with you now?” Bolg asked impatiently.

“Stomach ache,” groaned Kíli in what he hoped was a convincing manner. “Something in the cake.”

“I’ll take him to the Hospital Wing!” Fíli caught up immediately. He jumped up at once and practically hurled Kíli out of the Slytherin Common Room. They did not stop once outside but ran for a good 10 minutes until they were out of the dungeon.

“Phew, that was close,” panted Kíli.

“I know,” Fíli was equally out of breath. “Good thinking with the stomach ache by the way.”

Before Kíli could say anything, however, he felt that dark force again, this time even stronger than the last time, almost overwhelming him. Grabbing Fíli’s hand, which had thankfully returned to its normal state, Kíli said in a hushed voice. “We must go, I think the monster is out.”

“What?” Fíli looked utterly bewildered but Kíli had no time for this. Closing his eyes briefly, he tried to pinpoint exactly where the magic was coming from. What really confused him was that no matter how hard he tried, it was coming from the wall on his left-hand side. But how could that be? Was the monster invisible? Was there something behind that solid wall?

“It’s coming from this side of the wall,” said Kíli and he did the only thing that he thought made sense: he dragged Fíli into the nearby classroom on the other side and slammed the door closed, which had finally stopped the overwhelming magic.

“Kíli, are you alright?” asked Fíli and he looked extremely concerned. Kíli knew he must look a state, with the interrogation of Bolg that went wrong and the dark magic of the monster. Nodding feebly, he managed to pull himself off the floor. “I’m fine. The magic is gone. Well, at least I can’t Sense it anymore.”

“You think the monster is just out there?” Fíli’s eyes were wide with fear. Kíli nodded, “I’m sure it’s the monster. I felt the same the night Burt was attacked. Only this time it’s even stronger. Maybe my Sense has really developed.”

“But,” Fíli looked almost lost. “Bolg was in the Slytherin Common Room. He couldn’t have set the monster free.”

“No,” said Kíli slowly. This turn of events was just another unexpected one. He had thought Bolg was involved based on what the half-Orc had said. He sounded so determined to rid the school of Muggleborns and half-bloods. “I don’t think he’s the attacker or actively involved but he knows who the attacker is. He must have some idea.”

“Mister Lock turned up at exactly the wrong time,” sighed Fíli. “Well, at least we didn’t get exposed.”

“And we know Bolg’s not in love with you,” smirked Kíli, his good humour finally returning. “Or maybe that’s his way of expressing love, wishing you dead at the same time.”

“Haha, very funny,” Fíli rolled his eyes. “That idea is a bit ridiculous anyway.”

“Why hasn’t he attacked us this year then?” asked Kíli. None of this made sense.

“Maybe he’s lying low to let the attacker do their work,” said Fíli reasonably. “After all, the monster from the Chamber of Secrets can do more damage than Bolg. He wouldn’t want to get caught and expose the attacker by accident.”

“That’d make sense,” said Kíli slowly. “But we’re still nowhere close to finding out who the attacker is. It can still very well be Legolas. He just came back to the Slytherin Common Room, remember? Who knows what he’s been doing before that. But he’s not talking to Bolg anymore so how did Bolg find out?”

“Maybe we’re going at it the wrong way,” said Fíli, pacing the room deep in thought. “Instead of trying to find out the attacker, maybe we should just try to stop the attacks. If we can find out what the monster is and kill it, it can save countless lives and even help us catch the attacker if we’re lucky.”

“That’s a thought.” Kíli liked this idea because he felt that his Sense could be much more useful in tracking down the monster. “So where do we start?”

“We find Gimli first,” said Fíli. “If anyone can help us with monsters, it will be Gimli and then Professor Dáin.”

It took Kíli a while to be certain that the monster had moved on and the corridor was safe enough to venture into. Once they were outside the empty classroom, they set out to go back to the Gryffindor Common Room to find Gimli, only to find themselves in the midst of a commotion two corridors down.

“What’s going on?” Kíli asked as he tried to stand on tiptoe to see past the crowd about what had happened.

“Another petrification,” said Lindir, his usual mischievous smile gone.

“What?”  
“Who?”

“Justin Finch-Fletchley,” said Lindir. “We just found him lying outside a lavatory.”

“No,” cried Kíli and Fíli at once. They knew Justin. He was a Muggleborn student of their year in Hufflepuff. Neither of them knew him well but from what Bain had told them and their interactions during Herbology, Justin seemed a very nice young lad who certainly did not deserve this.

“What was that on the floor?” asked Fíli suddenly and Kíli looked in the direction of Fíli’s pointed finger. The whole floor was covered in water.

“I think one of the toilets overflowed,” Lindir shook his head in disgust. “Not sure how it happened but you know Hogwarts. Sometimes things happen. Probably one of the ghosts.”

Ghosts were common in Hogwarts. Kíli still had not got used to them, not at least because their existence challenged some of his fundamental beliefs. Most of them never bothered any students and the worst that could happen with a ghost was to walk straight through them since they were extremely cold. 

The crowd soon parted to allow the professors to pass through. Professor Gandalf rushed to Justin’s side with Thorin and Dwalin to examine the stony-looking Hufflepuff. There was little doubt about the fate of Justin and all three professors looked extremely apprehensive.

“We must take him to the Hospital Wing,” said Dwalin and Thorin nodded. Both of them raised their wands and Justin was soon floating in mid-air. Professor Gandalf turned to the crowd. “Who is the first one that discovered Mister Finch-Fletchley?”

Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain raised his hand. “I found Justin about half an hour ago. Well, I saw him lying on the ground in the water so I thought he must have slipped and knocked himself out. Once I’m close enough though, I could tell that he’s been petrified. Before I could find the professors, more students came in from outside the castle. I eventually managed to…”

“Send us a message, yes,” nodded Professor Gandalf gravely. “Did you notice anything or anyone suspicious when you discovered Mister Finch-Fletchley?”

“No, sir,” Cedric shook his head, “the corridor was completely deserted. The only thing unusual was the water.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The petrification of Justin brought another wave of shock and panic to the castle. Now everyone was taking the attacks seriously and it was hard to find any students travelling on their own, even during the day. The black market of amulets and protective enhancements was also flourishing but Dwalin outright forbade them to buy any of those. 

“None of that rubbish works,” grunted Dwalin, shaking a necklace of garlic he had just confiscated in disgust. “If anything, it might give yeh hives so don’t even bother.” 

“So what can we do to protect ourselves?” asked Kíli. “Are we close to finding the attacker yet?”

Dwalin’s face fell and he let out a defeated sigh, which was so rare that Kíli felt his heart sink. “No, we still don’t know who initiated the attacks. There’s so much about this that doesn’t make any sense.” He rubbed his temples before quickly removing his fingers, screwing his face at the pungent smell of garlic. “Now I want both of yeh to stop wandering around in the castle, especially yeh, Kíli. The last thing I want is for yeh to get hurt!”

“What do you think he means by things don’t make sense?” asked Kíli once they were outside Dwalin’s office. “Surely he meant more than just the obvious.”

“There are some strange things about these attacks,” said Fíli thoughtfully. “First of all, why are all the victims petrified but not killed? We know the monster’s capable of killing so how come these victims have escaped the worst fate? Also, how does the monster get around the castle without being seen? You can even Sense its magic but can’t see it.”

“Maybe it’s invisible.”

“Then why didn’t it attack us?” said Fíli, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration. “If we’re working under the assumption that Legolas or even Bolg is somehow involved, they’d surely want us dead. Bolg pretty much said so himself. Legolas’s no better. Then why didn’t the monster attack when we were both vulnerable?”

“I don’t know,” sighed Kíli. “We really need to find Gimli and ask for his help.”

Convincing Gimli to help took no time at all. Gimli was much more excited about this aspect of the investigation.

“This is all so fascinating,” said Gimli, his eyes wide with awe, after Fíli and Kíli had briefed him on everything they had learned so far about the attacks and the monster from the Chamber of Secrets. “I’m sure it’s some kind of dark and powerful magical creature. I’ll look into that right away.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over the next couple of weeks, Kíli had been on tenterhooks, watching out for any signs of the monster. Now that he knew that Bolg might very well know the attacker and wished both himself and Fíli dead, Kíli preferred to err on the side of caution. In fact, he had taken to walking in front of Fíli to make sure his Sense could alert them of any harm.

“But this is ridiculous,” protested Fíli heatedly. “What if the monster appears before you can run away? Your Sense can only alert you, not save you.”

“That’s still better than risking your life,” said Kíli firmly. “Until Gimli can find out what the monster is, I’m not letting my guard down.”

The security inside the castle had also tightened. No students were allowed to go anywhere by themselves even during the daytime. A staff member must be present to escort the students, which created a bit of a problem for people like Gimli who liked to visit the kitchen for some extra nourishment between meals.

“I’m not even allowed to go to the loo on my own now,” complained Gimli in their dormitory one night. “I thought I’d just go and finish my business quickly yesterday but no, that’s against the rules. Aragorn caught me and Tom in the loo and took 10 points each from us. Can you believe it?”

“I can see him taking points from Tom,” smirked Kíli. “He’s a Slytherin after all. But Aragorn must be serious if he’s taking points from Gryffindor.”

“I know,” mumbled Gimli. “Now I really want to find out what this monster is so we can get this over with.”

“Are you close?” asked Kíli hopefully and Gimli nodded. “I think I am. I’ve managed to narrow it down to a handful. The thing is, the existence of some of these monsters are more speculation because so few have lived to tell the tale after an encounter with them. They are also rare and magically powerful enough to stay hidden for a long time. I’m doing a bit of guesswork here but I think I am really close. I’ve also managed to get some help from Professor Dáin. Oh, he doesn’t know what I’m actually working on,” added Gimli hastily at the horrified look on Kíli’s face. “He just thought I’m curious about monsters, which made him extremely happy. But anyway, another couple of days should do it.”

Unfortunately, Kíli’s next encounter with the monster came before Gimli could find out the secret identity of it. He was walking to the boy’s lavatory with Fíli accompanied by Dwalin when he felt that dark force of magic just outside the boy’s lavatory. Gasping sharply, Kíli turned on his heels and started running down the corridor to follow the magic. He had to find out what the monster was.

“Kíli, Kíli, stop!” Fíli’s frantic voice was what stopped him eventually. In any case, he could not keep up with the monster for the magic was quickly getting ahead of him. One thing he was certain, however, was that the magic stayed firmly on one side of the wall.

“What in the name of Mahal was that all about?” asked Dwalin, who looked suspiciously from Kíli to Fíli.

“Nothing,” lied Kíli quickly, “I just forgot something and wanted to go back and get it. Of course, that was a stupid idea in the current circumstance so…”

“So I just panicked,” added Fíli quickly, catching on fast. “Sorry, I guess I overreacted.”

“Hmm,” Dwalin looked between Fíli and Kíli, his eyebrows raised. Thankfully, he did not press the point. Instead, they went to the lavatory, which was empty, and finished their business.

“Have you lost your mind,” hissed Fíli once they were in the Transfiguration classroom for their double Transfiguration. “Why are you running after the monster, not away from it? You could have been killed!”

“Sorry,” whispered Kíli, “I didn’t think at that time. I just wanted to find out what the monster is.”

“Did you say monster?” asked Gimli, who had overheard their discussion. “Have you…”

“Yes,” said Kíli immediately so Gimli could not continue. He cast a quick around to make sure they would not be overheard. “I’ve just had another encounter with it.” He then told Gimli everything about what happened before the class.

“So you were sure the magic was coming from the wall,” said Gimli, his face thoughtful.

“Yes,” nodded Kíli, “I’m 100% certain and it was just one side of the wall. I don’t know how the monster does it. It can’t be on the other side of the wall. We ran past several classrooms. And I’m pretty sure it came from the lavatory.”

“How high do you think the monster was?” asked Gimli.

Kíli thought hard. It was a bit hard to tell because the magic was so overwhelmingly strong. But when he closed his eyes and tried to re-experience that encounter, he finally could narrow it down, “I think it’s about the height of my shoulder, maybe slightly lower.”

“Then it can't be invisible,” said Fíli. “Remember you bumped into the wall when you turned to chase it? You also had your hands out and they were very close to the wall. Unless the monster is tiny, it can’t be…”

“What if it’s inside the wall?” said Gimli suddenly. “That could explain all of it. What if it’s using the piping?”

“Blimey,” said Fíli, his eyes wide, “that would make sense, wouldn’t it? That’s why it’s been able to move around the castle without being seen. That’s why it hasn’t petrified that many people too. You’re only seeing it around the corners and stuff.”

“So it must be…” But Kíli’s question was interrupted by Lady Galadriel, who had arrived to start the class. Although they had little time to talk once the class had started, Kíli could tell from the vacant look on Gimli’s face that his mind was miles away and focused solely on the monster. The moment the bell rang, Gimli got up immediately and said in a low voice, “I think I know what it is but I have to go back and check. I’ll let you know as soon as I’m sure.”

Fortunately, it did not take Gimli that long to verify. Kíli and Fíli were still in the library when Gimli practically crashed inside, earning him a disapproving look from Dori, which Gimli completely ignored.

“Have you…” Kíli’s question was interrupted when Gimli slammed a heavy book on the table, sending parchments flying everywhere.

“I can’t believe it took me so long to figure this out,” cried Gimli.

“Not so loud,” hissed Fíli, which finally calmed Gimli down. Taking a deep breath, Gimli continued in a much lower voice. “Right. So this is the book I borrowed from the Restricted Section, remember? It has some of the nastiest beasts you could find in them. Anyway, I think what we’re looking for is a Basilisk.”

“What?” Kíli could feel his eyes grow wide. “They’re real?”

“Apparently yes,” said Gimli smugly. “Of course, real sightings of the Basilisk are unbelievably rare because a Basilisk’s stare will kill you immediately. If you have somehow managed to avoid eye contact, they’re still gigantic magical creatures with venom so poisonous that one drop is enough to kill you many times over. It also makes sense for Slytherin to use a snake as his monster in the Chamber of Secrets because Salazar Slytherin was apparently a parseltongue.”

“A what?”

“A parseltongue,” explained Fíli, “someone who can talk to snakes.”

Kíli felt his head was ready to explode with so much information. “But then how come no one’s dead?” 

Fíli clapped his hand on his forehead. “Of course! Nobody actually looked at the Basilisk in the eye.”

“Exactly!” nodded Gimli fervently. “Remember Colin? He must be facing the window and only saw the reflection of the Basilisk. Cho must have used a mirror or something. You know, she’s a girl. As for Justin, the toilet was flooded so the floor was covered with water. The…”

“Reflection,” Kíli finished Gimli’s sentence for him. “Blimey!”

“Wait,” interrupted Fíli, “What about Burt and particularly Bolg? Bolg was only partially petrified. Can a Basilisk do that?”

“The more I read about them, the more I’m inclined to believe that Bolg is not the first victim,” said Gimli seriously. “All the other attacks match up but Bolg’s doesn’t.” He turned to Kíli, “Did your Sense pick up something different in Bolg’s case?”

That was a difficult question for it was so long ago. Kíli closed his eyes and tried hard to remember how he felt when Bolg was attacked. It took him a while until he finally said, “Maybe. The magic felt, well, less lively in the case of Bolg. It wasn’t as strong and it almost felt, I dunno, old and stale. The other times the magic felt powerful, strong and full of life.” He looked from Fíli to Gimli. “I thought it was because my Sense was still weak back then.”

“Or, it could be because the magic you felt during Bolg’s attack was not from a live magical creature but an inanimate magical object,” said Gimli. “That explains why Bolg was only partially petrified.”

“But then we’re looking at two attackers?” asked Kíli. He found it hard to believe because it sounded too much like coincidences to him. How many homicidal maniacs could Hogwarts host at one time?

“Not necessarily,” said Fíli slowly. “I do have a theory but it’s just a wild guess. Anyway, let’s just assume Bolg was attacked by someone else while all the other victims were attacked by a Basilisk. How can we find and kill the Basilisk?”

“There are very few spells that can kill a Basilisk,” said Gimli. “Its skin is like dragonhide, very tough and armoured to repel almost all the spells. But of course, you can kill it physically, like decapitation, you know.”

“Brilliant! Now, all we need is a sword so I can jump on the head of a gigantic snake and cut it off while not looking at it the whole time. Should be a piece of piss, I reckon,” said Kíli sarcastically.

Gimli rolled his eyes. “Stop being such a drama queen. There’s another way, a much safer and simpler way. The crowing of a rooster is fatal to it.”

Kíli blinked. “I’m sorry?” Surely such a formidable monster could not be defeated so easily.

“Yup, you heard me right,” smiled Gimli. “So all we need are some roosters.”

“Let’s go find Bombur then,” said Fíli excitedly. 

“The Chef in the kitchen, you mean?” asked Kíli.

“Of course, who else can have access to ample supplies of roosters without raising suspicion?” grinned Fíli triumphantly. Kíli, however, was not so easily convinced. “Are you sure he will just give us the roosters without asking any questions or reporting back to the teachers? What excuse can we give him to ask for the roosters anyway?”

“Bombur never asks questions,” said Gimli. “He’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. All he’s interested in is cooking and food. Besides, he trusts Professor Thorin and thus Fíli. He won’t object to our request.”

Kíli looked from Fíli to Gimli. Both of them seemed extremely confident in this Bombur so Kíli had to trust their judgement. The matters were too urgent and pressing for them to second-guess themselves. “Fine, we must visit the kitchen then.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The most difficult part of the plan, as it turned out, was to find a way to go to the kitchen without a professor escorting them, as the new security measures made sneaking out almost impossible.

“We just need to wait until it’s after curfew,” said Fíli resolutely. “Bombur usually works late in the kitchen to prepare for breakfast the next day.”

“Can’t we owl or raven him?” asked Kíli. He simply did not fancy sneaking out at night when the monster could be out there.

“They’re bound to check mail posts in this difficult time,” said Fíli. “In case someone inside the castle is conspiring with the outside. I don’t think we should risk it. Besides, if the attacker is a student, which I think is the case, then they are not allowed out after curfew either. So I doubt we’d run into the monster.”

That was a good point, except the attacker might very well throw caution to the wind and sneak out as they did. But Kíli had to agree that with the new security measures in place, the attacker must take more precautions and thus less likely to risk being caught out of bed at night. It seemed like their best option so Kíli finally caved. “Fine, when should we go?”

“I think a Friday night would be best.” Fíli looked relieved that his idea was finally accepted. “Everyone will be more relaxed and Bombur will be busy with preparing a good feast for the weekend.”

That was why come Friday, Kíli found himself hiding inside an empty classroom, waiting anxiously for Fíli to turn up.

“Sorry I’m late,” panted Fíli as he ran quietly into the room.

“What took you so long?” hissed Kíli.

“Alfrid,” said Fíli simply, “I had to dodge him in the corridor outside Ravenclaw Tower. Anyway, let’s go.”

The trip to the kitchen had never seen so long. Kíli felt that all his senses were hyper-alert, ready for the attack to come at any second. Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened and they were soon safely in the kitchen surrounded by House Elves.

“Good evenings, sirs,” a different House Elf came to greet them this time. “What can we does for sirs? More food maybe?”

“No, thank you,” said Fíli kindly, “We’re here to find Mister Bombur.”

“Mister Bombur is being in the Chef room,” squeaked the tiny House Elf, his tone reverent. “He is not wanting to be disturbed.”

“Please tell him that Fíli is here to see him.” The House Elf’s rebuttal did not seem to upset Fíli at all. “I’m sure he will be fine with it.”

As it turned out, Fíli was right. Barely a moment had passed before an incredibly rotund Dwarf with a long red beard came out of the backroom and moved towards them with surprisingly fast speed, especially given his size and weight.

“Fíli, my dear lad,” Bombur’s face split into a giant grin as he embraced Fíli in a tight hug. “How are you? Are you feeling peckish? You look a bit peaky.”

Fíli laughed. “No, Bombur, I’m quite alright. Thanks for asking though,” his face turned sombre soon. “We’re here for a different, much more serious reason. This is Kíli, by the way. He’s…”

“Your best mate,” said Bombur quickly. “I know. Every Dwarf in Hogwarts knows. So what is the matter?” He looked unusually shrew. “Does this have anything to do with the attacks?”

After exchanging a quick look with Kíli, Fíli nodded. “Unfortunately yes. We need some help.”

“From me?” Bombur looked sceptical. “Look, I’m more than happy to help in any form I can. But Fíli, I’m not the most powerful wizard out there. Shouldn’t you go to your uncle or Dwalin?”

“Oh, we don’t need you to cast any spells,” said Fíli quickly. “We need to borrow something from you.”

“We need some roosters,” said Kíli.

Bombur looked more confused than ever. “I’m sorry?”

“That’s right,” said Fíli. “We can’t explain now but the roosters will help us defeat the monster of the Chamber of Secrets.”

The look that Bombur gave Fíli was long and searching, the cheerfulness on his round face replaced with a serious look. Fíli, however, held his gaze with such great confidence and conviction that Bombur finally nodded. “Very well, I shall get some for you lad. It will take me a couple of days because I need to go to Hogsmeade.”

“Aren’t there any in the school?” asked Fíli sharply.

Bombur shook his head. “All the ones Radagast has kept were killed. We thought it was some kind of beasts. But…”

If Kíli needed any further evidence that the monster was indeed a Basilisk, this was it. The attacker clearly did not want to risk the Basilisk dying because of some silly accident with a rooster and thus killed all the ones on Hogwarts to ensure that.

“Come and find me in two days’ time,” said Bombur. “I shall have some healthy roosters for you by then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never understood why Harry and Ron could not just use some roosters to kill the Basilisk. I know it's probably not dramatic enough but still lol.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a whole year of attacks and investigations, Kíli finally came to face the Basilisk. Would he succeed in defeating the monstrous snake or would he become another addition to Hogwart's stone statues collection?

The next two days proved to be the longest in Kíli’s memory. Now that they had a firm plan in place, he found himself worrying even more. What he hated more than anything was for something to happen when they were so close to resolving the problem once and for all.

“We still need to find out how to get to the Chamber of Secrets,” said Fíli during one of their now supervised revision sessions in the library. “Otherwise the roosters will be useless and we may even alert the attacker of our plans.”

“Do any books from the library talk about the potential location of the Chamber of Secrets?” Kíli asked hopefully even though he knew that realistically, nobody but the heir of Slytherin would know. Fíli shook his head. “No, which means we need to find out on our own.”

There was only one way for it and Kíli was ready to do it himself. “We must use my Sense then. I reckon it’s pretty close to the boy’s lavatory because that was where my Sense picked it up last time. If I hang out there more often…”

“But Kíli,” cried Fíli, grabbing Kíli’s forearm painfully. Fortunately, it was Bilbo’s turn to supervise in the library and he only gave them a mildly reproachful look before returning to his books. Fíli released Kíli and lowered his voice. “That’s extremely dangerous! You could run into the Basilisk and die! Your Sense won’t protect you against the Basilisk’s stare or its venoms. I mean, a Basilisk is enormous. It can probably crush you by sheer physical force.”

“I know that,” said Kíli. “But we don’t really have a choice, do we? We’ve got to kill the Basilisk and my Sense is our best weapon of finding it. We have to risk it. I’m not afraid.”

“It’s not the point of being afraid,” said Fíli exasperatedly. “Nobody doubts your courage, Kíli. But…”

“I think Kíli’s right,” said Gimli and Fíli whipped his head around to stare at his old friend, who did not seem at all surprised by the revelation about Kíli’s Sense. “All of this planning will be for nothing if we can’t find the Basilisk. Do you really want to wait for it to strike again and maybe kill someone? There’s always going to be risk involved. I wish it could be me but I don’t have Kíli’s gift.”

Fíli looked from Kíli to Gimli, his lips pressed into a thin line. It looked like he still wanted to argue but did not know how. Eventually, he had to give in. “Fine. If it finally comes to this, I guess we must take the risk to save the lives of others. But I’m coming with you,” he raised his voice at the look on Kíli’s face, “I’m not going to let you face this alone!”

Now that they had a plan in place, Kíli spent most of his spare time lurking around the boy’s lavatory, hoping to Sense the Basilisk again to confirm his theory. He had to find many excuses to go and visit that particular lavatory and even sneaked out at night every now and then. To his great disappointment and relief, however, his Sense picked up nothing. Fíli was by his side the whole time, for he point-blank refused to let Kíli face a monstrous snake on his own.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Fíli when they were waiting outside the lavatory accompanied by Alfrid two days after they had talked to Bombur, “we can’t sneak into the kitchen to get the roosters until tonight anyway. Only then can we…”

Kíli was not paying attention, however, for he had just felt the familiar wave of dark magic emanating from the wall. Gasping slightly, he grabbed Fíli’s hand and squeezed so hard that it must hurt. “It’s coming out. I need to follow it, now!”

“What the…” Alfrid’s question was cut short by Kíli’s frantic voice. “The monster is coming. I can feel it. Run!”

Apparently, Alfrid valued his own life too much to even second guess Kíli for the Caretaker took off as if chased by a herd of Blast-Ended Skrewts without a single word. Kíli turned to Fíli, “you must go to Bombur now. I’ll follow the Basilisk.” He then addressed Gimli, who looked dumbfounded as he had never witnessed Kíli using his Sense before. “You must go inside the lavatory. I’m sure the attacker’s still in there.”

“But Kíli…”

“We don’t have time!” cried Kíli. “Go! Both of you! Now!”

Fíli took a deep breath and nodded. “Fine, but how will I find you? The Basilisk can go anywhere.”

That was a fair point. Kíli thought fast and there was only one way for it. “You go to the kitchen and I’ll lead it there. Just have the roosters ready.”

“What…”

“Just trust me and go!” implored Kíli. “Come on, it’s moving now!”

Gimli was the first to take off. Fíli, on the other hand, was much more reluctant. The look he gave Kíli was so full of meaning and emotions that Kíli felt his heart expand with warmth and sadness. Squeezing Fíli’s hand tightly, he pushed Fíli, who left reluctantly, and turned his attention back to the Basilisk.

No matter what he had told Fíli, Kíli could feel his heart pounding frantically as he followed the magic. Without Fíli by his side, Kíli felt strangely exposed and vulnerable. The fact that he was about to face a monster that could kill him faster than he could utter “help” did not help either. He knew he had to do it though. He simply had to.

As Kíli turned the corner, he could hear the hissing and slithering sound. Not daring to even look at the mirror, Kíli closed his eyes and listened. Thankfully, the sound was not coming from the direction of the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, Kíli picked up a loose pebble and threw in the direction of the hissing sound, which stopped for a second before resuming and getting closer to Kíli. Taking it as his cue, Kíli ran in the direction of the kitchen, hoping that the distance between him and the snake would allow him to outrun the giant serpent.

Thankfully, Kíli’s lithe figure meant that he was a fast runner. The adrenaline also helped as whenever Kíli felt the hissing sound came nearer, he would put on an extra spurt of speed. Eventually, he began to tire. The staircases seemed never-ending and he had to concentrate hard not to trip over himself because he was sure that was as good as a death sentence to him. As he got closer to the kitchen, one other concern began to surface in the back of his mind. How could he inform Fíli of the arrival of the Basilisk? The last thing he wanted was for Fíli to be surprised and face the Basilisk straight on. But he dared not to look back nor slow down to think of a better way. There was no other way for it. Kíli did the only thing that came to mind: he started singing as loudly as he could, hoping that Fíli could hear his song and prepare himself.

So focused on his singing that Kíli did not notice the last turn to the corridor leading to the kitchen. Running straight into the wall, Kíli felt himself fall to the ground hard, knocking the wind out of him. Even though he was too scared to look back, Kíli could see the shadow of the arched head of the snake, ready to strike. Closing his eyes, Kíli thought that was it. His courage or rather stupidity had finally caught up with him. His luck was running out and he was about to meet his end.

_ Cock-a-doodle-doo! _

The loud crowing of the rooster had never sounded so heavenly to Kíli. Opening his eyes a fraction, he saw several roosters strutting out of the kitchen towards him. None of them seemed remotely scared of the giant snake behind Kíli, which was a lot more than Kíli could say for himself. The Basilisk, however, was having no such luck. Its shadow was writhing in the air and the hissing had turned more tormented. Still panting, Kíli managed to get to his feet and moved towards the roosters, shooing them in the direction of the Basilisk. The roosters seemed to understand his predicament as their crowing grew louder and louder until finally, the hissing had stopped, followed by a loud banging sound of heavyweight hitting the ground.

Kíli waited with bated breath. After counting to a hundred and hearing no additional movement, he slowly turned around with his eyes closed. Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes a fraction and saw a large snake lying on the floor, unmoving. Moving slowly and cautiously towards the large amount of flesh, Kíli was ready to back out at any moment. The Basilisk, however, did not react. Emboldened by this, Kíli picked up a small pebble and threw it at the snake hard. He half expected it to rise and face him with its deadly eyes but nothing happened. The Basilisk remained resolutely still. All his strength drained from him, Kíli sagged to the floor with such relief and joy that he could do nothing but breathe heavily for a minute. Once he had regained his composure, Kíli got up slowly and walked as fast as his weary legs would carry him to the kitchen door, which opened the moment he pounded on it.

“Kíli!” Fíli sounded slightly strangled. A second look at his friend, who had a thick arm covered in flour around his waist, told Kíli why. Bombur, it seemed, had been restraining Fíli so he would not run out of the kitchen to find Kíli. “You’re alright!” Now that Bombur had finally released Fíli, he threw himself at Kíli, which did knock Kíli over for Fíli was, after all, a Dwarf and much heavier than Kíli. “Oh, sweet Mahal! I’m so sorry. I’m just so worried but Bombur,” he gave the plump Dwarf a nasty look, “wouldn’t let me help you.”

“Sorry lad,” Bombur at least had the decency to avoid Fíli’s accusing eyes and look abashed, “I couldn’t risk it. Your uncle will have me skinned alive if anything happens to you.”

Now that made perfect sense. Why would anyone let Fíli, the only heir to Thorin and the future leader of the Dwarves, risk his life when there was a perfectly able orphan such as Kíli to do the job in his stead? To say that Kíli was not hurt would be a blatant lie. He, of course, did not blame Fíli for he knew that his friend would come to him and sacrifice himself for Kíli in a heartbeat. Yet he now realised, more than ever, that to others, his life mattered very little compared to Fíli’s. He was dispensable; Fíli was not.

“It’s alright,” said Kíli with a somewhat forced smile. “I’m fine now and I believe the Basilisk is dead.”

“Are you sure?” asked Fíli, his eyes now full of wonder and hope. “Is it really dead?”

Kíli shrugged. “I threw a stone at it and it didn’t move. I reckon it’s dead but I supposed we better make sure. Maybe I should…”

“No!” said Fíli forcefully. “You’ve done and risked enough today.” He turned to Bombur and said with a smirk, “why don’t you go check on the Basilisk, Bombur?”

Bombur’s eyes were comically wide. “Me? But I’m just a cook.”

“You’re an adult Wizard,” said Fíli, rolling his eyes. “We’re just kids. Of course, it should be you.”

There was too much truth in it for Bombur to argue. Sighing, he rose heavily from his seat and trudged reluctantly to the corridor where the Basilisk lay. Approaching it with extreme caution, Bombur finally reached the Basilisk. Waving his wand a couple of times, he turned to Fíli and Kíli, who were standing at the kitchen door watching him, and said, “well done, lads. It is indeed dead.”

Words could not describe how Kíli felt at that moment. All the emotions came rushing to him because it only felt real now. Relief, disbelief, and most importantly, a strong sense of pride filled his heart. They did it! They solved the mystery that all those powerful clever full-grown wizards could not solve for years! When his eyes met Fíli’s, he saw his emotions reflected in those sky blue ones too. There was only one thing that he wanted to do at the moment and Kíli did what he always did, he followed his heart and buried his head in Fíli’s blond mane of hair. A second later, he could feel Fíli do the same. With his head in the crook of Kíli’s neck, Fíli’s warm breath caressed Kíli’s skin. “We did it! Can you believe it?”

Kíli laughed. He simply could not help himself. No one else would get hurt anymore, quite possibly ever.

“What have I missed?” Gimli’s panting voice broke the moment between Fíli and Kíli. Turning around, Kíli was astonished to see Gimli’s companion. It was not who he had been expecting at all. He knew that the attacker was most likely a Slytherin but he certainly would not have guessed that Tom, one of Burt’s best friends, would be the culprit. Why would Tom attack his best friend? On a second look, Kíli noticed something different about Tom. The look on his face, which was usually hungry and stupid, could only be described as vacant and far-away.

“Tom?” Fíli was equally surprised. “But this doesn’t make any sense.”

“There’s something wrong with him,” said Gimli as he shot Tom a concerned look. “I didn’t even need to persuade him to come with me. He just followed me after I told him to do so. I’m not sure if he’s really the att…”

“What in the name of Mahal is going on here?” Thorin’s authoritative voice made all of them jump. He was not alone either. Both Dwalin and Lady Galadriel looked flabbergasted at the corpse of the Basilisk.

“Oh, sweet Valar,” cried Lady Galadriel softly, “Is that a…”

“A Basilisk? Yeah,” Kíli could hardly contain the pride and eagerness in his voice. He had been drooling over Lady Galadriel and thus acting like a fool in her presence for so long that he simply could not forgo this opportunity to show off. From the corner of his eyes, he could see that the exuberant look had somehow vanished from Fíli’s face.

“But how…” Dwalin’s question was apparently on everyone’s mind. Taking a deep breath, Kíli decided to start from the beginning.

“You broke into my office?” A good half an hour into the story-telling, they had arrived at the Polyjuice Potion, which did not sit well with Thorin. Fíli had the sense to look chastised while Dwalin sniggered. “Good one, lads.”

“Sorry, uncle,” mumbled Fíli, “we didn’t have a choice.”

Thorin seemed lost for words while Lady Galadriel looked impressed. “You managed to brew a Polyjuice Potion? That’s N.E.W.T. level potion!”

“Fíli’s the best,” said Kíli proudly until he caught the look on Thorin’s face.

“And breaking a thousand school rules in the process,” said Thorin with clear disappointment in his tone. Fíli’s head hung even lower and Kíli felt his anger boiling up. “This is hardly the behaviour of an acceptable future leader of…”

“Fíli has done something amazing and saved perhaps more lives of not just current but also future students,” piped Kíli angrily and even the withering look from Thorin could not make him back down. “Something, if I may remind you, you have failed to do since your school years. Are those lives not more important than some stupid school rules or the so-called acceptable behaviour of your heir? How can you stand here and criticise him for doing such a good deed?”

“The lad’s got a point,” smiled Dwalin. “It seems that we owe it to the lads to have solved this problem once and for all.”

“I agree,” Lady Galadriel’s soft voice made Kíli beam with pride. “I’m sure we can overlook some broken school rules given what they have achieved and the contribution they have made to the school.”

Thorin still looked angry but did not argue the point. He nodded to Fíli to motion him to continue. It took them another good 30 minutes to finish the whole story, until where they currently were anyway.

“The Basilisk fears roosters,” said Dwalin incredulously. “Mahal’s beard.”

Gimli puffed up his chest and smiled proudly. It was all thanks to him that they could solve this problem by themselves without any major incidents, which, now that Kíli came to think of it, was an actual miracle.

“So you found Tom in the boy’s lavatory?” Thorin’s thick eyebrows were furrowed together. Everyone whipped their heads around to look at Tom, who showed no change in his dreamy countenance, which Kíli found extremely odd.

“What’s wrong with him?” asked Lady Galadriel. Dwalin, on the other hand, looked extremely apprehensive. Taking several long strides, he approached Tom and started waving his wand, which again did not alarm Tom in the slightest.

“He’s been Imperiused,” said Dwalin grimly after a couple of minutes of inspection. Both Fíli and Lady Galadriel gasped while Thorin stood up sharply, looking murderous. Kíli, on the other hand, was slightly confused. He knew he had heard the word somewhere but could not remember what it meant. Before he could voice his doubts, Thorin started pacing up and down. “An Unforgivable? On a student? This is outrageous. We must get to the bottom of it!”

“What is an…” Kíli’s question was quickly answered by Fíli. “There are three Unforgivable Curses, the Imperius Curse, the Cruciatus curse, and the Killing curse. To use any of these three curses on a fellow human being will give you a one-way ticket to Azkaban, the horrid Wizarding prison.”

“But what does an Imperius curse do?” asked Kíli.

“It controls people,” said Dwalin. “If yeh use it on someone else, yeh can make that person do your bidding without any objection. Only those with the strongest will power and magical skills can fight off an Imperius curse. Many fall victim to it and horrendous crimes have been committed against their will. The poor lad didn’t stand a chance.”

Now, something clicked in Kíli’s mind. “That’s Azog’s excuse for his atrocities during the last Wizarding War, isn’t it?”

“Exactly,” nodded Fíli. He turned to Thorin and Dwalin. “Can you find out who cast the curse?”

Dwalin shook his head. “No, I can break the curse for him but I can’t find out who cast it on him.”

“Maybe he’ll remember,” said Gimli excitedly. 

Thorin nodded. “Maybe. At least he should know when he was completely himself last, which may give us some clue.”

“Right,” Dwalin raised his wand again and muttered some incantation under his breath. Everyone watched with bated breath as Tom’s eyes slowly cleared and re-focused.

“Tom,” said Lady Galadriel gently, “can you hear us okay?”

Tom’s eyes widened and he looked at them from one to the other, fear etched on his face. Despite the fact that Tom looked like a troll, Kíli could not help but feel sympathy for the Slytherin. Whoever controlled him made him commit all those crimes against his will, which was almost worse than doing it out of his own volition.

“It’s okay, Tom,” said Lady Galadriel in the same soothing tone. “You’re safe now. Nobody will force you to do anything anymore. Now, could you tell us what has happened?”

Tom’s eyes were still bulging with fear. He quickly avoided Thorin’s eyes and hung his head low. Dwalin nudged Thorin, who opened his mouth reluctantly, “don’t worry, Tom. We’re not going to blame you for something you did against your will. Just tell us what has happened.”

This seemed to give Tom the reassurance he needed. Taking a deep breath, he started recounting his story.

“I was visiting Burt in the Hospital Wing right after New Year. I do that often since he was attacked. But that time, someone cursed me from behind. I felt like I was in a dream as if I was floating. It was a wonderful feeling because all my worries were wiped away so all I had left was happiness and a desire to follow orders. Then a voice in my head started to give me orders. It told me to go do my day-to-day activities like normal but open the Chamber of Secrets when I have the chance.”

“Do you know who that voice belongs to?” asked Dwalin sharply but Tom shook his head, “All I know is that it’s a wizard’s voice, not a witch’s.”

“How do you know how to open the Chamber of Secrets?” asked Thorin.

“The voice told me that the entrance was in a boy’s lavatory. It told me where to go and what to look for. I then found a small snake engraved on a sink tap. I spoke Parseltongue and it opened.”

“You speak Parseltongue?”

Tom looked sheepish, “I’m part Orc, you see. Only Orcs can talk to snakes. I don’t talk about it because, well, most people don’t like Orcs.”

Something suddenly clicked in Kíli’s mind. Now everything that had happened started to make sense. But he could not speak his mind in front of everyone because he had no proof. He gave Fíli a significant look before focusing his attention back to Tom’s story.

“What else did the voice ask you to do?” asked Lady Galadriel.

Tom bit his lips and thought hard. “It asked me to look for any treasure within the Chamber but I couldn’t find any. I don’t think I have searched the whole place though. It was hard to get down there without anyone noticing and the Chamber was really big. It also asked me to unleash the Basilisk to purge the school of those unworthy of magic, Muggleborns and half-bloods with Muggle or Muggleborn parent. Later it asked me to include whoever that befriends them too, particularly Dwarves.”

Thorin and Dwalin’s faces darkened while this had pretty much confirmed Kíli’s suspicion. He now desperately wished to speak to Fíli alone so he could hear Fíli’s opinion on his theory. Nevertheless, he knew he had to wait. Kíli also wondered if Thorin and Dwalin had figured out who the true culprit was. He was certain that if he could piece the clues together, there was no reason why someone as brilliant as Dwalin or Thorin couldn’t.

“We will get to the bottom of this,” said Thorin firmly. He turned to Kíli, Fíli, and Gimli. “It’s time for you to get back to your Common Room and get some rest. Lady Galadriel, could you escort them with Bombur? We’ll see you in Gandalf’s office after.”

Not wishing to be separated from Fíli, Kíli had to think on his feet. “Can Fíli come to our dorm? I don’t want to sleep on my own tonight and I’m sure neither does Fíli.”

Thorin raised an eyebrow while Dwalin smirked. Lady Galadriel, on the other hand, looked much more sympathetic. “Of course. This must be an extremely traumatic experience for you and I don’t blame you for wanting some company tonight.”

“Fine,” sighed Thorin, “Bombur, could you take them to the Gryffindor Common Room. Lady Galadriel, after you.”

Bombur took his task very seriously and not only escorted them to the Gryffindor Common Room but also their dormitory. Once he had left, Kíli turned to Fíli, “you don’t mind, do you? Sharing a bed with me, I mean.”

Gimli snorted while Fíli’s face turned pink. After sending Gimli a dark look, he turned to Kíli and smiled, “of course not. As long as it makes you happy.”

Once they were safely in Kíli’s four-poster bed, Kíli waited patiently for Gimli to fall asleep. Sure enough, barely a minute had passed before the snoring sound of Gimi could be heard from the other side of the room.

“Brilliant,” said Kíli in a whisper, “now we can talk.”

“You have some idea about who the true culprit is, don’t you?” Fíli whispered back, which made Kíli grin. He knew Fíli would understand him more than anyone. Nodding enthusiastically, Kíli shared his theory with Fíli. “I think Azog is behind it all.”

To Kíli’s surprise and relief, Fíli did not look remotely shocked by this revelation and frankly quite a serious accusation. Instead, he simply sighed, “to be honest, I have been thinking the same thing ever since Tom said he was Imperiused in the Hospital Wing. Azog was there during that time, wasn’t he? He had the perfect opportunity.”

“Exactly!” said Kíli, his eyes lit with excitement. “He’s a Death Eater and therefore well-versed in the Dark Arts. I’m sure he can cast an Imperius Curse without anyone noticing. He also has an agenda against us and anyone that he deems not pure enough. So, of course, he’s going to target us. I think he must be the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets when Professor Thorin and Dwalin were students in Hogwarts. I checked and he was a Seventh Year back then. The attacks stopped after he graduated. If the rumours are true and he’s indeed Half-Orc, he has the ability to do it.”

“But why now?” asked Fíli, still frowning. “There must be a reason for him to risk being exposed to want to open the Chamber of Secrets. Do you think he just saw the opportunity when Tom visited Burt or did he plan it all?”

That was something Kíli did not give too much thought on. Now that Fíli posed the question, Kíli started to go from the beginning when he first met Azog. It seemed inconceivable that someone as cunning and ruthless as Azog would simply do something so serious on a whim. Yet if he had planned it all, why did he choose this year to execute his plan. What was so different this year that made him…

“The Arkenstone!” Kíli cried so loudly that Fíli had to clap his hand over Kíli’s mouth. Both of them waited but thankfully Gimli’s snoring was loud as usual. “It’s the Arkenstone,” whispered Kíli urgently, his eyes wide. “Remember what Tom said? Whoever Imperius him asked him to look for treasures inside the Chamber of Secrets. What if that was what Azog is actually after? He knows he couldn’t get into the Chamber of Secrets himself with Professor Thorin and Dwalin watching him. So he got a student that nobody would suspect to open the Chamber and search for the stone!”

“Mahal’s beard,” cried Fíli, “it all fits now! That’s why he’s opening the Chamber this year. It’s not to rid the school of Muggleborns or Half-Bloods. It’s for the Arkenstone. So he must have planned this whole thing out. Oh,” his eyes were even wider now, “do you think he planned his own son’s attack so he could get into the school?”

“Why not!” exclaimed Kíli but he took care not to raise his voice this time, “Bolg wasn’t even properly petrified, was he? Gimli said that he’s probably not the first victim of the Basilisk even though everyone believes he is. Therefore nobody even suspects Azog! But what if Bolg was actually cursed by some dark objects planted inside Hogwarts by Azog? Azog then got the perfectly legit excuse to visit Hogwarts and maybe sneak into the Chamber. That was when Burt was petrified. But he couldn’t search the whole chamber so he came up with the plan to find someone else to do his dirty work. Tom fits the bill perfectly because he’s Burt’s best friend and part-Orc. And let’s face it, he’s not the brightest one out there, which makes him an easy target.”

“So Bolg must be in on it the whole time too,” said Fíli as realisation dawned on him. “Is that why he kept a low profile and stopped attacking us? So he won’t attract any attention or suspicion?”

“Azog would certainly ask him to do that. Wait,” the newly-tapped spring of fabulous discoveries threw Kíli another gift, “what if Bolg attacked you in the Hogwarts Express to search for the Arkenstone because he thought you might have it?”

“That makes sense!” Fíli let out a deep sigh of relief. “I’m much more inclined to believe Bolg doing this than, you know,” he screwed up his face and shivered. Kíli had to fight not to laugh. He could hardly blame Fíli though. Being the love interest of Bolg was a truly daunting and disturbing prospect.

“But how did Azog smuggle in the dark object and place it where Bolg would be?” asked Fíli. Kíli thought hard but came up with no answer. But he felt this was a small missing piece that did not detract from their theories. “I don’t know but I’m sure he can find a way. He’s a powerful Dark wizard, isn’t he? Maybe he knows some magic that can get past the ward of Hogwarts.”

Fíli did not look convinced but he did not press the point. “We need to tell uncle and Professor Dwalin all this. I know we’ve got no proof but at least they should be aware. They can also search the Chamber of Secrets, just in case the Arkenstone is indeed there.”

After all the excitement of the night, Kíli found it hard to fall asleep. He remained awake for a couple of hours, tossing and turning in bed, going over the series of events of the year again and again in his head, trying to make sure that their hypotheses were correct. Eventually, fatigue overcame him and he finally fell asleep to the steady rhythm of Fíli’s heartbeat.

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Despite the lack of sleep, Kíli woke up the usual time and did not feel fatigued at all. The adrenaline that pumped through his veins and the sense of excitement of finally solving the mystery of Hogwarts kept him energised throughout the day. Fíli was pretty much the same, if not even more so, for he had the task of discussing their theories with Thorin and Dwalin. It was almost hard to contain their excitement for the rest of the school was still unaware of what happened the night before.

“Come and find me in the library when you’re done,” said Kíli when Fíli was ready to leave to find his uncle. “I’ll be in our usual corner where we won’t be disturbed.”

It took Fíli nearly two hours to return but he came back in high spirits. “They believe us!” cried Fíli with a massive smile on his face, which earned him a reproachful look from Dori who happened to walk by. Making a face, Fíli lowered his voice, “I told them everything and they believe us! Not just uncle and Dwalin but Lady Galadriel, Professor Elrond, Professor Bilbo, and Professor Gandalf too! Uncle and Dwalin will set out to go inside the Chamber of Secrets with Tom now to search it properly. Once they have finished that, they’ll inform the school.”

“Are they going to confront Azog?” asked Kíli and Fíli’s smile fell. He sighed and shook his head. “No, unfortunately, they can’t. All we’ve got are theories with little evidence. They can’t go accuse Azog simply based on that. It will only give him excuses to complain that we’re biased against and targeting him.”

This was just as Kíli expected but it was a blow nonetheless. He supposed that life could not be perfect and he had fortunately learnt to live with that since he was a child.

“Cheer up,” said Fíli encouragingly, “we’ve solved the mystery and there’s no Basilisk inside Hogwarts to terrorise or hurt anyone anymore. I mean, uncle has had a field day with all the potion ingredients he can get from the Basilisk. We should be proud and happy.”

“I am,” smiled Kíli, “truly. If anything, I’m just glad life can go back to normal again. I think I’ve had enough excitement to last me a lifetime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mystery is finally solved!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when Kíli thought that all the drama was behind him, life had handed him another bombshell.

Life did go back to normal, especially after Professor Gandalf made the announcement of the discovery of the Chamber of Secrets and the destruction of the Basilisk. The look on Bolg’s ugly face was confirmation enough for Kíli.

“The best part is,” laughed Gimli, whom they had confided in after Fíli’s discussion with the professors, “he can’t retaliate because that will make him look suspicious. He has to pretend to be happy about the whole thing while he’s seething inside. I just love that.”

One thing that came with the restoration of peace and calm inside the castle was the selection of their electives next year. Everyone was given pamphlets with detailed information on additional subjects they could take in their third year. Thanks to Fíli and his friends, Kíli was not doing this completely blind.

“So you’re not taking Ancient Runes - Khuzdûl because you know it already,” said Kíli anxiously as he looked at the subject lists. “Do you know if Ori or Gimli will take it?”

“I doubt it,” Fíli looked up from his list to give Kíli a reassuring smile. “Both of them speak Khuzdûl already. Well, Gimli’s not really good at it but he’s never that academically inclined. Most Dwarves speak some Khuzdûl and the class is mostly for the other races who are interested in learning Dwarf language and culture. So don’t worry, you’ll be fine. I can always lend you some books and help you practice in your spare time.”

That did calm Kíli down. Nodding, he returned to the pamphlet. “Are you taking Quenya then? Or is this too Elfish for Dwarves?”

Fíli laughed. “It might be for some Dwarves. I know that very few choose this course and even Ori’s not planning to take it. But I am going to because I think it’s good to learn about other cultures and languages. It opens your mind and gives you a different perspective.”

Truth be told, Kíli would love to choose Quenya too because he was fascinated by Elves and their cultures. The fact that they were all so ethereally beautiful only added to their charms. He knew that he could not handle two Ancient Runes classes though and as a half-Dwarf, learning Khuzdûl was his priority. “Right, what else are you taking?”

“I’m thinking Arithmancy, which is very useful and a prerequisite for a lot of jobs such as curse-breaking.”

“Is that just kind of like maths?” Kíli felt that he could survive Arithmancy because he was somewhat decent at maths when he was in primary school. He was no genius by any means but as far as he could tell, none of the wizards had the same training as he did as a Muggle.

Fíli shrugged. “It deals with numbers so I suppose yes. You should take it. Who knows what kind of jobs you might be interested in in the future.”

That was certainly sound advice, for Kíli had no idea what he wanted to do. Curse-breaking sounded extremely cool though so if Arithmancy could get him there, he would certainly try. “Are you taking Care of Magical Creatures?”

Fíli nodded. “I think I will. I mean, it is a useful class because you never know what kind of magical creatures you may encounter and basic knowledge of them may save your life. Besides, interacting with magical creatures can be really fun, even though…”

“We may all die from one of Professor Dáin’s classes,” Kíli finished the sentence for Fíli and both of them laughed. Kíli would love to learn more about these fantastic creatures if Dáin were slightly less crazy. But he reckoned nobody sane would aspire to dedicate their whole life to chasing after wild magical beasts so that was that.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” said Fíli bracingly. “Nobody’s been seriously hurt in a Care of Magical Creatures lesson in the past several years.”

“Okay,” Kíli nodded slowly. He supposed he could always count on Gimli, who was almost certain to take the class, to save the day. “Will Ori be there too?”

Fíli grinned. “I don’t think he has a choice. Gimli’s bound to drag him into the class, not to mention that Ori will feel guilty for not choosing Professor Dáin’s class.”

“So that’s it for us then,” sighed Kíli with relief as he filled out his form. “I reckon three classes will keep us busy enough. Do you know anyone taking Divination or Muggle Studies?”

“I think Ori’s taking Divination,” smiled Fíli. “Again, he hasn’t got much of a choice since his own brother, Professor Nori, is teaching it. I doubt any other Dwarves are taking it though. It’s usually a subject best suited for Elves.”

“But Professor Nori…” 

“Has never been a normal Dwarf,” Fíli smiled fondly. “He’s never one to follow rules or conventions. If you ask me, I think he enjoys breaking them, probably because he likes riling Mister Dori up. Poor Mister Dori almost had a heart attack when Professor Nori was picked as the Divination professor. But he’s exceptionally good at it from what I’ve heard and even the Elves respect him for that.”

This almost made Kíli change his mind about not taking Divination. If there was anything that Kíli admired in one person, it was their courage to stand out, disregard stereotypes, be an outsider, and stand for what they believed in. Nori sounded exactly the type of person he wished he could be. He felt that he and Nori would get on well that he regretted not having the chance to get to know the Divination professor better. But he knew he had to be sensible since even three classes might be too much for him to handle.

“What about Muggle Studies?” asked Kíli. “It sounds like a soft option to me.”

“It might be for you but trust me, it’s not easy for any pureblood wizards,” laughed Fíli. “Gimli’s taking it but Ori’s not. I personally believe every pureblood wizard should take it.”

“But you’re not,” Kíli felt like he had to point it out. 

Fíli smiled. “I’m counting on you to teach me all about Muggles. I’d love to but I don’t want to use a Time-Turner.”

“A what?”

“A Time-Turner,” said Fíli. He laughed at what must be an astounded look on Kíli’s face. “It allows you to go back in time. Quite a few Ravenclaws use it because they want to take more classes. Not everyone will get approval because time-travelling can be extremely dangerous when not handled properly. The students who are allowed a Time-Turner need to demonstrate good character and judgement. I could get one but I’m just not a fan of time-travelling. It’s too risky and simply not worth it.”

Kíli was flabbergasted. He thought time-travelling was something reserved for science fiction novels, something people dreamt about but could never possess because it simply violated too many fundamental rules of physics. In the Wizarding world, however, it seemed like a common object that even a Hogwarts student could use. Frankly, Kíli was not sure how he felt about it.

In the end, Kíli picked three classes. Once he had handed the form to Lady Galadriel, he started to look forward to the next year even more. He was going to learn even more exciting magic. Of course, he was going to take Khuzdûl without Fíli or even Gimli and Ori but he heard that Bain would take the class, which made him feel better as he could count on at least one friendly face in the class. 

Not that Kíli had real cause to worry about it. Since the news got out that he, Fíli, and Gimli solved the Chamber of Secrets puzzle and killed the Basilisk, Kíli found himself to be a bit of a celebrity. Everywhere they went, people would give them impressed looks. Some would even go out of their way to speak to them. For someone like Fíli, this was almost the norm but Kíli had never been subjected to such treatment before. Pretty Dwarf girls, who would not spare Kíli a second glance before, were now talking to him. Kíli had to admit that his ego was greatly boosted at the beginning but it got old soon and he could not help but wonder if those girls would still feel the desperate urge to know him had he not been this so-called hero.

“Don’t mind them,” said Fíli. “This will die down soon and everything will go back to normal. Don’t waste your energy on those shallow people.”

One of the good things that came out of this was that now that the monster from the Chamber of Secrets was killed, Quidditch Cup would resume next year and Kíli simply could not wait to play Quidditch again. He had missed the sensation of flying in the sky with wind blowing his hair so much that he just had to take his broomstick out one day for a quick fly.

The day outside was gorgeous as it was finally summertime. Most of the students were taking advantage of the much-improved weather by staying outside, which under normal circumstances would not bother Kíli at all. Given his new celebrity status, however, Kíli found himself unable to avoid attention even several hundred feet above the ground. Whenever he did anything remotely exciting, the crowd below, which had formed remarkably fast after Kíli started flying, would start cheering. Finally, having had enough, Kíli decided to seek solace somewhere more remote.

He had never been deep inside the Forbidden Forest by himself because the last time he did, he went with Dáin and Fíli. This time, however, Kíli decided to be more adventurous. Armed with his broomstick, Kíli felt that he could fly above the mysterious forest and explore it from a safe distance above. As he flew deeper into the forest, the commotion from the school had finally died down. Breathing freely for the first time that afternoon, Kíli let his broom loose and flew as fast as he wanted, savouring the sensation of speed.

“... an extremely ill-informed decision, which both Dwalin and I had objected to. Look at what happens now. The whole school is running after them.” Thorin’s angry voice made Kíli stop so quickly that he nearly fell off his broom. Steadying himself, Kíli looked down and was astonished to see Thorin walking next to Professor Gandalf while both were engaged in a heated discussion. Kíli could only assume that they chose this location to get away from prying ears in the school.

“We have to inform the students of what has happened,” sighed Professor Gandalf, “or at least as much as we could tell them. If we choose to withhold such key information, rumours are bound to start. Not to mention that the parents would want to know the truth and some of them are influential enough that they might instigate a thorough investigation into the incident, which none of us wants at this delicate time.”

“I’m not arguing the necessity of divulging certain information,” retorted Thorin, who did not look appeased by Gandalf’s explanation at all, “merely the extent of it. Surely you could have left Kíli Durin out of the picture.”

This hit Kíli like an icy dagger to the heart. Surely Thorin would learn to trust him after all this. Or did he perhaps blame Kíli for leading Fíli astray into rule-breaking? Did he deem their actions too rash and careless, not befitting that of an heir? Thankfully, Professor Gandalf seemed to share the same sentiment as Kíli.

“Please, Thorin. Surely you’re not still prejudiced against poor Kíli. He was instrumental in the discovery of the Chamber of Secrets and the destruction of the Basilisk. I’m sure you have to agree that he has demonstrated remarkable courage, intelligence, and resourcefulness way beyond his young age.”

Thorin stopped on his track to give Gandalf a sharp look. “Of course, I’m not biased against Kíli Durin. I shall admit that he did do well in helping to solve this puzzle, although some of his decisions are still open to deliberation. Anyway,” he raised his voice slightly when Gandalf showed every sign of interrupting, “I’m not asking you to remove him from your announcements because I question his merit or even his judgment in what is inevitably to follow. From what I can see, he has managed to stay level-headed even in the current madness.”

“Then what is the problem?” asked Gandalf, his eyebrows knitted together. “If you don’t think Kíli would lose his head in his new-found fame, you’ll surely agree that this positive reinforcement is extremely beneficial to him, especially since he has suffered quite a lot of discrimination sadly because of his blood status.”

“I’m concerned because this might make him a target more than he already is,” said Thorin solemnly. “You know what happened to his parents. Frerin and Melian were specifically targeted because Frerin was a Durin. From what we could see, they were not just killed but brutally tortured, probably because the Death Eaters thought Frerin and Melian had the information they were after. It was only sheer luck that Kíli was with Dwalin that day so he was spared. It was their bloody anniversary and… Poor Melian, they…” Thorin had to swallow thickly before continuing, “Dwalin couldn’t sleep for weeks after we came back from their house. Frerin’s bloody face still haunts me, to this day! The Death Eaters had clearly planned the attack because it was executed so cleanly that we still don’t know which Death Eaters tortured and murdered them although,” he snarled quietly, “I have a couple of good guesses. Kíli had managed to stay out of trouble because of his blood status and Muggle upbringing. Those bigoted idiots do not deem him a threat enough because they think he’s just a Half-Blood from a Muggle orphanage and thus a mediocre wizard. But this announcement will certainly draw their attention back to Kíli. How is he going to defend himself if some of them decide to attack him and wipe out the line of Durin once and for all?”

Gandalf looked even more concerned now. “And you think they will resort to such measures? What are they to gain from this? The Dark Lord has been defeated and his whereabouts are unknown. I’m certain that he has not regained his power for I cannot feel his magic. I doubt any Death Eaters will risk their lives to attack a child for a master who is in no position to lead them back to their depraved ways.”

“But the Dark Lord may not be the only reason,” said Thorin. “Frerin was not targeted simply because he was fighting against the Dark Lord. He was marked because the Durins and Oakenshields are rumoured to be the only rightful guardians of the Arkenstone. As long as a Durin or Oakenshield lives, the Arkenstone can never work fully for any usurpers.”

“So the rumour was true,” said Gandalf meaningfully but Thorin merely gave him an exasperated look. “It doesn’t matter if the rumour is true or not. The point is, the Death Eaters are willing to kill us off to test the validity of the claim, which puts Kíli in grave danger. His only protection before was his blood status, for they believed that he is only half a Dwarf and thus not a true son of Durin. But now that his magical ability and intelligence have been made known, they are bound to target him just to be safe.”

“But then surely Fíli is in as much danger as Kíli, if not more so, being a pure-blood Dwarf and your heir.”

“I can protect Fíli but I don’t have the power to protect Kíli too,” Thorin closed his eyes, looking tired for the first time, “I…” he hesitated but then Gandalf’s hand on his shoulder helped him make up his mind. “This stays between us because not even Dwalin knows, not for sure at least. Dís is the only one… Anyway, my magic has been declining slowly ever since we lost the Arkenstone. I don’t know if it’s because it was previously augmented by the power of the Arkenstone and it’s just now returning to normal or because we need the Arkenstone to maintain our magic. Either way, I can’t see myself protecting Kíli as much as I protect Fíli in my current state unless I can find the Arkenstone again.”

“Are you sure it’s because of the Arkenstone?” asked Gandalf sharply. “As far as I know, it nearly drove your grandfather insane. Are you certain you want to rely on something so unpredictable and potentially dangerous just to increase your magic?”

Swatting Gandalf’s hand off his shoulder, Thorin looked both angry and affronted. “My grandfather did not go insane! He might have made some questionable choices but nobody can deny his contribution to the last Wizarding War, which brought about the eventual downfall of the Dark Lord.”

“I’m not trying to…”

“It does not matter,” Thorin waved his hand impatiently. “The key thing is, I’m not powerful enough to protect Kíli in addition to my existing responsibilities. He’s in a precarious condition now. You must take measures to ensure his safety since it’s partly your fault that he’s in this situation. In the meantime, I’ll continue to search for the Arkenstone so it does not fall into the wrong hands.”

“Very well,” sighed Gandalf. “I’m confident that he will be perfectly safe inside the castle. But I will speak to Madam McGonagall and reinforce the ward on the orphanage myself. It will do Kíli good to spend more time in Erebor during the holidays.”

“Of course,” nodded Thorin. “Let’s get back now. We’ve been absent for long enough.”

It was only until Thorin and Gandalf were completely out of his sight that Kíli dared to move. His head filled with so much new information, Kíli was acting on pure instinct and had no idea how he managed to fly back to the castle without falling off his broom. The only thing he knew was that he needed to find Fíli now.

Luckily it did not take Kíli long to find Fíli alone in their usual secluded corner inside the library, revising for their upcoming final exams. The look on his face must have been frantic that Fíli rose from his seat immediately when he caught sight of Kíli.

“What’s the matter?” said Fíli, as he rushed forward and put his hands on Kíli’s trembling arms. “You look so pale. What happened?”

“They tortured her and killed them,” Kíli shouted, for he could not bring himself to care about Dori’s rules in the library. Fíli, on the other hand, had more sense. Grabbing Kíli’s hand firmly, he practically dragged Kíli into a study room in the deepest end of the library and closed the door. “My poor, beautiful mother! They…” Kíli simply could not finish his sentence. He had no desire to know or even imagine what kind of abominable acts had been performed on his mother by those vile despicable Death Eaters. He was not thick though and he had some good ideas about what unspeakable act could warrant such a violent reaction from someone as stoic as Thorin. Yet he could not know it, for it would make everything too real. All he knew was that he wanted revenge.

“I’m so sorry, Kíli,” said Fíli in a soft voice, “I understand…”

“No, you don’t!” shouted Kíli, tears streaking down his cheeks. He felt hot with rage yet so cold at the same time, so very cold. “They didn’t die in battle like I thought they did. That I could live with. It’s war after all, isn’t it? People die in battlefields during the war. No, they were targeted and murdered at our home! They were tortured before they died. My mother, oh my poor poor mother! She’s done nothing wrong yet… What had they done to her?! You can’t possibly…” Kíli simply could not continue. A small faint voice in the back of his mind told him that he should not take his anger out on his best friend but Kíli did not have the power to contain himself at this point.

“You’re right,” Fíli did not sound angry or offended at all. Instead, he placed his warm hand on Kíli’s shoulder. When Kíli made no attempt to shrug it off, Fíli took it as a sign that Kíli did not object to his consolation that he stood next to Kíli and wrapped his arms around Kíli’s shoulder. “My father died a soldier’s death, which, though tragic and devastating to my mother, was nothing compared to what your parents had suffered. You have every right to feel anger and sadness.”

These kind words finally made Kíli look up. The look on Fíli’s face was sad and sincere. Feeling ashamed of himself, Kíli looked down and said in a small voice, “I’m sorry. I must have lost it a bit there.”

“Don’t apologise!” cried Fíli, squeezing Kíli’s shoulder even tighter. “You have absolutely nothing to apologise for. I can’t even imagine what you have gone through. I am lucky to have a loving mother and uncle, not to mention enough money and many friends growing up. It’s just so unfair that you have to lose both of your parents in such a brutal way and be left on your own.”

“I often dream about them when I was back in the orphanage,” said Kíli in a small voice. “Nothing specific, you know? I don’t even know what they looked like so they always looked vague and hazy in my dreams. But I knew they must love me very much. I always wondered how they died. A car accident or something of the sort was what I imagined. Never have I…”

“Oh, Kíli,” Fíli’s voice was so full of emotion that it brought fresh tears to Kíli’s eyes, “this is just so unfair and I’m so sorry.”

“I’ll find their killers and I will make them regret everything they’ve done to my parents,” said Kíli savagely once his tears had stopped. “I swear to God that I will avenge my parents even if it’s the last thing I do.” He half expected Fíli to look scared or concerned but he knew that nobody and nothing in this world could stop him. He could not live with himself if he did not do this for his parents.

To Kíli’s surprise, Fíli did nothing of the sort. Giving Kíli’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, he started pacing in the room, looking pensive. When he opened his mouth, it was nothing that Kíli expected. “You will need to work harder then. Whichever Death Eaters that killed your parents must be extremely skilled and powerful because according to uncle and Professor Dwalin, your parents were one of the best Wizards out there. Unless you are prepared, you’re no match for them and will only get yourself hurt or worse killed. Surely your parents won’t want that for you. We must resume our duelling lessons with Professor Dwalin next year. And you need to work on your Sense, which I’m sure will give you an advantage. I know you don’t like Potions but that’s dead useful so we must work on that too.”

This was so unexpected that it took Kíli a moment to find his voice. “You’re not going to stop me?”

Fíli stopped on his track and smiled. “Stop you? Of course not. You know I don’t believe in violence but I understand your need for revenge. You’re my best friend and this is your choice. Whatever you choose, I will stand by that 100 per cent and do whatever it takes to help you succeed.”

Feeling completely overwhelmed for the second time that day, Kíli rushed to Fíli to hug him tight and buried his face in his best friend’s broad chest. He tried to convey his gratitude and relief into the embrace because words had failed him. Luckily, Fíli seemed to understand him perfectly for his friend returned the hug with equal fervour. For the first time that day, Kíli felt not so alone in this world.

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This year’s final exams felt a lot less stressful than their first year’s. Kíli was not sure if it was because they had experienced it before or because the events of the year made things like final exams and grades seem trivial. 

“I think the professors have decided to give out easy exams this year because they knew most of us were too scared for our lives to study properly,” said Lindir, who always knew everything happening inside the castle.

“What about those O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. students?” asked Fíli, which was a good point. Those exams are set by the Ministry of Magic and a lot more stressful because it affects your career prospect directly. It didn’t seem fair that the 5th and 7th years would be punished when they were victims of this year’s events.

“The Ministry has given them the option to either take the exams if they feel ready or repeat the year and take the exams next year. Most of them, especially the O.W.L. students, have decided to take the exam because they don’t like an extra year. But some N.E.W.T. students like the evil twins are postponing their exams and staying for another year.”

“The evil twins?” To say Kíli was surprised was probably an understatement of the year. Neither of them was particularly interested in academics and could not be bothered with their exams results.

“They just wanted to stay another year in Hogwarts,” answered Lindir with a shrug. “They want to start their own joke shop or play Quidditch professionally. In the former case, they’d benefit from building their customer base in Hogwarts. In the latter case, a Quidditch Cup will look a lot better on their resume. You know the twins. They don’t care about what others think. I doubt they care about anything that much anyway.”

Kíli wished he could have the twins’ carefree mentality. Instead, he found his mind frequently wandering to dark places such as the death of his parents.

“Dwelling on it won’t make it better,” said Fíli firmly when Kíli finally confided in him. “It’ll only make it worse. You should focus on your exams not just for the grades, but to learn more magic and prepare yourself better.”

“It’s just hard,” said Kíli dejectedly, “not to think about it. I mean, I try my best during the day and it’s been loads better. But I can’t help what I dream about at night.”

The look on Fíli’s face softened and he put a placating hand on Kíli’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. It can’t be easy.” He hesitated before speaking, “do you think it’ll help, having someone sleep next to you?”

Kíli thought about it. He was not sure if anyone could help him with the nightmares but at least they could wake him up when he was writhing in bed. It was a lot to ask though because whoever sleeping next to him would probably be woken up frequently. “I reckon it can’t hurt. But I can’t possibly ask Gimli to do that. I’ll wake him up twenty times each night.”

Fíli looked as if he was torn between laughing and rolling his eyes. He eventually settled for the latter. “Honestly, Kíli! I meant me!”

“Oh,” said Kíli, feeling stupid now. Of course, Fíli meant himself. Now that he came to think of it, he found himself warming up to the idea more and more. “Are you sure? You won’t be able to get a good night’s sleep though and with the exams…”

“Don’t worry about the exams,” said Fíli firmly. “You’re much more important. Besides, if you’ll permit some pride, I’m sure I can pass them even without any sleep for a week.”

True to his words, Fíli came to the Gryffindor Tower that very night with his nightclothes and school bag. Gimli did not even bother to ask this time as he simply shook his head with a smirk before heading to the lavatory to get ready for bed.

“Thank you so much,” said Kíli gratefully. 

Fíli smiled. “Don’t mention it. Come on, let’s get ready for bed.”

Once they were both tucked in bed, Fíli fished out a book from his school bag and started to read. Kíli noticed that it was not a textbook but a book about Arithmancy. Smiling to himself, he laid down on his bed, his hands behind his head, watching Fíli read in peaceful silence until it was interrupted by Gimli’s loud snoring. Sniggering, Kíli felt he had never felt so content in a long time. A mere twenty minutes had passed before he felt his eyelids grow heavy.

_The night was eerily quiet. The house was dark inside, indicating that the occupants had retired to bed. Yet something in the air made the hairs on the back of his head stand on end. Taking cautious steps, he approached the dark quiet house slowly, his wand at the ready. When he reached the door, he was surprised that there was no ward around the house. Shouldn’t the house be protected? Was this a simple slip up, or something far more sinister?_

_Turning the door handle quietly, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. There was absolutely no sound inside the house. No soft talking, no snoring, no creaking sound of the bed when its occupants moved. All there was in the house was dead silence. He approached the staircases almost with trepidation, something so unusual for him that he did not know what to make of it. He had faced formidable enemies in dire situations countless times yet nothing had frightened him more._

_The door to the master bedroom was half-closed, another warning sign that something was not right. Taking a deep breath, he walked slowly to the door and pushed it open slowly, his wand ready in case the occupants decided to fire hexes at him in self-defence. What he saw inside the room made him drop his wand._

“Kíli, Kíli, wake up!” Kíli felt someone shaking him but it took him a while to recognise Fíli’s voice. Opening his eyes, a task so easy any other time, seemed like a monumental effort now. Once Fíli’s frantic face came into focus, Kíli realised that he was drenched in cold sweats.

“Sorry,” muttered Kíli, his voice raspy, “did I wake you up?”

“Never mind that,” said Fíli almost exasperatedly. “Did you just have a nightmare?”

There was no point denying it. Fíli had witnessed the whole thing first hand. So Kíli simply nodded, as he was still shell shocked himself about what he had seen.

“Do you want to talk about it?” asked Fíli softly. Kíli thought for a moment. He honestly was not sure how he felt at the moment but in the end, the need to share the burden with someone won.

“I was outside our house,” said Kíli slowly, his eyes fixed on the pattern of his duvet. “I’m pretty sure it’s our actual house because I’ve never seen anything so real and detailed in my previous dreams, even the ones I had in the past week. I’m not sure why I…” he swallowed hard, “but anyway, it was the night they were killed. I was outside but I knew something was wrong. The whole area looked deserted, devoid of life. The house was completely dark and not warded. Again, I’m not sure how I knew it but when I touched the door handle, I knew it wasn’t warded. So I opened the door and went inside. There was no sound, Fíli. Not a single sound to indicate that someone lived there. It was just darkness and dead silence. I was scared, so scared that I think I knew something terrible must have happened. And I don’t usually get scared,” he paused and thought back to the dream. Who was he in the dream? He certainly was not himself because Kíli had never experienced that. Was he Thorin or Dwalin, who witnessed the aftermath first hand? But how could he, Kíli, see what they had experienced?

“Kíli?” Fíli’s soft voice brought him back to reality so he continued, “I went upstairs and found the master bedroom door half-open. I stepped in and I saw something terrible. That was when you woke me up.”

Fíli’s eyes were wide as saucers. “Oh Kíli, I’m so sorry!” and he enclosed Kíli in his arms, “I’m so sorry you saw what happened to your parents.”

“Actually,” said Kíli slowly, “I don’t think I saw the actual scene. All I know was that it was really bad but it was more of a feeling than the actual image.” He looked at Fíli and asked, “does that make sense? This whole dream is so confusing. It feels so real but how can I see it? I wasn’t even there that night. Or did I just imagine it?”

“I think it’s real,” said Fíli thoughtfully. “I think you’re seeing into someone else’s dream, someone who did see it happen many years ago. It must have been such a traumatising experience for them that their mind was trying to block the actual image from the dream.”

“But how can I see into someone else’s dream?” asked Kíli, feeling utterly confused.

“I don’t know,” said Fíli slowly. “But this is not unheard of. There’s still so much about magic that we don’t know. Don’t dwell on it too much and go back to sleep. You need some rest after all that.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the school year came to an end, Kíli made another startling discovery.

The rest of the night passed miraculously peacefully without a single nightmare. Kíli woke up to find himself unbelievably refreshed, a rare treat in the past weeks, and cocooned in Fíli’s strong arms. Smiling to himself, Kíli allowed himself another moment of luxury where he slowly drifted back to sleep to Fíli’s steady heartbeat.

“Morning, Kíli,” said Gimli with a yawn. “Good to see you resemble more of a human being than a ghost today.”

“Thanks,” said Kíli, rolling his eyes. The smile he had on his face stayed firmly on for nothing could spoil his good mood. They only had a couple of final exams left and Kíli felt safe in his sleep for the first time recently. No matter what had happened, Fíli would be there.

“Only one exam left.” Gimli stabbed a sausage ferociously with his fork and held it up with both hands reverently as if it symbolised the beacon of hope, “then we shall be free!” Though a tad dramatic, nobody would disagree with Gimli’s sentiment for everyone was looking forward to the summer holidays after a trying year. Unfortunately, the only exam left was Potions.

“Is your uncle alright?” Kíli asked as he was startled to see Thorin walking into the classroom, his usually piercing blue eyes sunken and his face waxy and pale. Before Fíli could answer, Thorin had cleared his throat and the whole classroom fell silent.

“You can find your exam papers on your desk. You have exactly an hour to finish the written exam. At the end of your papers, you will find the potion you’re required to brew. You may commence brewing whenever you finish your written exam but must finish the potion within two hours. You may begin now!”

Although the exam was not as hard as Kíli had imagined, he knew he had to focus, which proved difficult for he could not help but cast worried glances at Thorin. The Potions Master looked like he had not had a good night’s sleep for a while either. The heavy bags underneath his eyes were even more pronounced on his pale skin. Kíli could not help but wonder if Thorin had been having nightmares as he did. Then the frightening idea hit him: was he seeing into Thorin’s dream?

“Hem, hem.” The sound of Thorin clearing his throat pointedly brought Kíli back to his exam. One look in Thorin’s direction told him that his absent-mindedness was not missed by the Potions Master. Smiling sheepishly, Kíli returned to his exam papers and tried to concentrate hard on the questions.

Kíli let out a long-held breath when the exam was finally over. It went better than he thought. For one thing, he did not blow up a cauldron. His Hair-Raising potion was darker than Fíli’s lime one, which was the ideal colour. But at least it was emerald rather than blue like Gimli’s. Knowing Thorin, Kíli fully expected to lose points on this but he could hardly fault the Potions Master because the exam questions and even the Potion were not hard.

“Uncle thought he’d give us an easier one this year, given everything that has happened,” said Fíli. “He didn’t think we would focus on our studies when our lives were in danger.”

“That’s very nice of him,” said Kíli almost absent-mindedly. The shocking discovery he had made during his Potions final was still troubling him. Unfortunately, Fíli knew him too well to know something was not right. “What’s wrong, Kíli?”

“I…” Kíli hesitated. He was not sure if he should tell Fíli this little secret. It was Thorin, who was Fíli’s uncle after all. If Kíli knew anything about Thorin, he was certain that his austere Potions professor would not appreciate his privacy being invaded. A dream like this must be extremely private for Thorin.

“You know you can tell me everything, right?” said Fíli patiently. “Whatever is troubling you, I’ll try to help. And I swear on my magic, I won’t tell a single soul without your permission.”

“Right,” said Kíli, feeling slightly sheepish for not trusting Fíli earlier, “I… Well, remember the nightmare I had when you first came over to sleep in my dormitory?”

“Yes?”

“Well, I think that might be your uncle’s dream that I’m seeing into,” said Kíli as he looked down, unwilling to look into Fíli’s face as the intruder to his uncle’s privacy. When he did look up, however, he found the look on Fíli’s face most peculiar. He did not stand up in anger or scrunch up his face in disgust, which Kíli fully expected him to, but rather Fíli’s eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open before he closed it quickly, the look of disbelief on his face morphing into what could only be called resignation, which made no sense to Kíli at all.

“I can’t honestly say I’m surprised,” sighed Fíli. “I mean, I doubt there were that many people who witnessed the aftermaths of your parents’ tragic death because most people don’t even know how they died. Given your father’s status, this is unusual. Uncle said that he and Dwalin were both there and they could both be counted on to keep a secret.”

“So maybe it was Professor Dwalin’s dream I was seeing,” said Kíli hopefully. Despite Dwalin’s gruffiness and intimidating reputation as a fearsome warrior, Kíli was never afraid of him. Quite on the contrary, he had always felt close to Dwalin, who was more like a father to him than anybody else. 

“I don’t think so,” said Fíli. “You saw the state uncle is in. He’s been having trouble and nightmares too. I think the discussion with Professor Gandalf must have brought those memories back. That’s why he had that dream.”

“But why can I see into it?” asked Kíli in frustration. “Is it because it’s about my parents?”

Fíli opened his mouth and closed it again. He seemed torn between telling Kíli’s truth and keeping the secret forever. Eventually, he decided on the latter. “Maybe, I have an idea but I don’t know for sure. I need to read up more on it before I say anything. Don’t worry about it for now. The exams are over so we can finally relax. Let’s go outside and enjoy the sunshine.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the term passed quickly enough. With exams done and the dangers gone, everyone was enjoying themselves to the fullest. Kíli had somehow managed to have a good time, despite everything that had happened. He spent most of his time playing Quidditch with Fíli, Gimli, and Ori. They could not play real matches but Kíli had no problem with that. As a matter of fact, he actively avoided his Quidditch team players in case Oliver Wood caught sight of them and decided to turn a leisurely play session into an impromptu training session with lots of tactical discussions right after.

Their final exams results came out the day before they were leaving home for the summer holidays. Kíli passed all his exams and achieved top marks in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms. To his great relief and slight surprise, he did quite well in both Potions and Transfiguration. He was by no means top of the class; that spot would always be reserved for Fíli it seemed. But he did much better than the year before, which boosted his confidence and greatly lifted his spirit. His class selection for next year had also been approved and Kíli was quite looking forward to the new classes. With the departure from the castle coming nearer, Kíli found himself missing the Wizarding world already. Moreover, the threat Thorin mentioned meant that Kíli could hardly spend a carefree summer holiday in the orphanage like he normally did. He wondered what kind of measure Professor Gandalf would take to ensure the safety of the orphanage. The last thing he wanted was for anyone there to suffer because of him.

“You’re not going to spend too much time in the orphanage this year,” said Fíli as he read Kíli’s thoughts correctly as per usual, “especially given what uncle has said. I’m going to ask mum to invite you over in two weeks’ time. You’ll be much safer in Erebor. And we can learn more about magic together!”

This finally did the trick. Now that he had something to look forward to, Kíli found the prospect of his separation from the magical world much more bearable. So now, even though he might not be able to have a good night’s sleep for the next few weeks, Kíli still felt incredibly happy. He had done great things and learnt a great deal this year. He made it to the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He did well in his exams. He made real progress in his Sense and most important of all, he had destroyed the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets with his best friend Fíli. Next year was only going to get better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally the end of another year. Can't wait to start year 3 when they're a year older and even more fun to write.


End file.
